Monsters of the Dead
by Curse of Whimsy
Summary: A Hero in exile, a defective Monster. Trying to survive in a world where one day, they wake up to find they aren't the strange ones anymore.
1. Broken Like Me

**This just kind of happened. I was driving home one morning from work, bouncing around various ideas, and I thought; 'What if I turn the HOTD girls into monster girls?'**

**And here we are.**

**Truthfully, I have a lot of different story ideas bouncing around in my head, but this is the one that really clicked, that gave me a good idea of what direction an actual story would take.**

**Hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

Today had been quiet, almost too quiet.

That was what Takashi had thought, earlier today, and that's why his day was about to become decidedly not quiet.

That was the thing about having your little house on a hill, overlooking the village from a clear distance.

You had a great view, and could easily see when things were about to go wrong in a big way.

Fortunately, that meant you could move in to help when necessary.

Unfortunately, that meant you had to move in to help when necessary.

Thus, he was already strolling down the hill at an angle when Morita came gasping his way up, frantically waving towards him.

"Komura! Komura, there's-!"

"Settle down, she's taking her time. I'll totally beat her there, so stop tryna run yourself to death."

Morita did just that, doubling over with his hands on his knees as he gasped.

"But-" Wheeze "-Where's… T-Titan?"

Takashi raised one eyebrow as he passed the gasping blonde, patting him on the back as he did so.

"Eh, nothing worth getting the big guy involved over, who knows, maybe she'll just turn around?"

Takashi was sensitive to people's gazes, and thus he was fairly confident that Morita was staring at him with his jaw wide open, as he tended to do when Takashi said something surprising.

Hopefully there were no bugs for him to choke on this time.

With a mental shrug, Takashi continued his casual stroll down the hill, and, just as he'd reassured Morita, beat her there, stepping onto the well-worn dirt road about a quarter mile from the village edge.

The timing had been good, he grudgingly admitted.

It was midday, and so no one was out in the fields, instead taking their lunch break in the hottest part of the day, and in the only shade available.

Which came either from the mountains or the buildings, and the buildings were closer.

Thus, he was alone with her when he intercepted her upwards path.

That 'her' he had been referring to swaggered confidently right up to him, perhaps just a bit closer than necessary. With an amused sneer, she crossed her arms under her bust and cocked an eyebrow as she gazed down at him.

This wasn't to say Takashi was short, even if he had only just barely passed into adulthood and might still grow.

No, she was simply that tall, and while, just like him, she probably wasn't fully grown, considering the slight roundness of her face, she was still over seven feet tall.

That was before you counted her horns, which come to think of it, Takashi wasn't sure if he should or not.

The reason she had horns and was close to eight feet tall was assumedly the same reason her mostly uncovered skin was seafoam green, or why her bare feet were cracking the ground.

She was an Ogre, though in this part of the world she'd be referred to as a Green Oni.

"Hmm, what's a cute little thing like you doing out here all alone? Lose your parents, or they just send you out as an offering?" She said with a smirk. "They offer one of their spares to keep the peace, huh?"

"Well, it's true I'm out here all alone, but actually I came over to ask what's got you so worked up, and if I could help?" Takashi asked politely.

"You think I'm worked up, do you?" She sneered (liked that expression, didn't she?) stepping closer until that chest of hers was nearly poking him in the eyes. Just like her tattered skirt, those chest wrappings of hers were designed to draw attention, rather than other, more nonsensical purposes.

Such as preserving modesty.

"A little, yeah, you're kind of leaving craters when you walk, and I know a girl like you isn't nearly that heavy." Takashi pointed out helpfully.

"Heh, well, it's true I do have a bit of an itch I need scratching, if you know what I mean?" Yep, gonna be one of those days, wasn't it?

It's not like she wasn't pretty, all monsters were, but...

"Ah, sorry, but I'm not on the market, so I can't be much help there. Maybe if you ask nicely, one of the single guys…?"

Now, Ogres were known for many things.

Aggression was one of them.

Patience was not.

So, Takashi wasn't really all that surprised when she hauled off and back-handed him with a single, smooth skinned arm as thick around as his neck.

Luckily, in the current day and age, such an attack wouldn't tear his head off unless she wanted it to.

It had been a thousand years since a succubus ascended the Demon Lord's Throne, and ever since then, a monster girl, or Mamono, as they liked to be called, had her own mana blunting her more dangerous bits, drastically reducing monster related fatalities.

At worst, the casual blow would deplete all of his own energy, and he'd be unconscious for at least a day until he recovered.

When there were good odds he'd wake up beneath her in her cave, with both of them naked, and her trying to ride him until either his pelvis or his mind broke.

She was an Ogre, once more, so likely it was both.

Might even eat him afterwards, Ogres were a bit behind the curve that way.

All of this, of course, would only occur if her blow landed.

Which it did.

Takashi felt it rather reasonable for her to stare at him in disbelief when he calmly caught her arm with both hands.

"So… we're doing this the hard way?" He asked, feeling generous enough to give her one last chance to back out.

Mostly because he didn't want to deal with this.

The Ogre stared.

Takashi stared back.

She tried hitting him again, a heavy left straight capable of crushing an oxes skull.

Takashi caught the oncoming arm by the wrist, once again with both hands, since the grip was better that way.

"Okay, now you're just being a bitch." In light of that, Takashi decided that he was being perfectly reasonable when he twisted and yanked on her still extended arm, neatly flipping the much larger woman over his shoulder.

The breath whoosed out of her lungs as the dust exploded out from under the Ogre at the impact, and her wide eyes went wider still.

Takashi thought he was many things, but nice wasn't one of them. Thus, before the Ogre could realize that she had an actual fight on her hands, Takashi had released her arm and wrapped his hands around both horns.

Before she knew what was happening, he had twisted once more, hauled her over his shoulder by the head, and flipped her yet again.

Panting lightly from the exertion (she was an _Ogre_ after all), Takashi released his grip on her horns in favor of sitting on her back, wrenching her head up with an arm coiled around her throat.

"Now, I'm not sure what you expected to happen, but here's what's going to happen." Takashi whispered in her pointed ear. "I'm going to release you, and you're going to leave, and never return. Otherwise, the next time I wrap an arm around your neck…"

His arm began to tighten for emphasis, and the much larger hands that scrabbled at his arm in no way managed to loosen his grip.

"I'm going to strangle you to death in front of the whole village." He held the grip for a few heartbeats, just to make extra sure his point was clear.

Gazing blankly down at his foe, Takashi released his hold and stood, stepping off of her and just out of arm's reach.

The Ogre rose slowly from the dirt with one hand to her throat and her eyes as wide as saucers.

Yeah, he was pretty used to wide-eyed stares.

Mingling with the confusion was doubt and just a glimmer of fear, so he was pretty sure he had gotten to her.

Which hopefully meant she wouldn't act like a belligerent Ogre and try for another round, because the odds weren't nearly as bad as he wanted them to seem.

He'd left Titan at home, after all.

Slowly, carefully, the Ogre began to back away, as if she was a small animal caught in a predators sight.

Probably couldn't see the irony there, since she was still a good two feet taller than he was.

"Shit, how the hell was I supposed to know a Hero lived all the way out here?" Came the harsh whisper.

_**"Don't call me that."**_

The next thing he knew, there was a panicked Ogre, casting fearful glances over her shoulder as if she was fleeing a monster rather than just being one -fitting really-, and cheering at his back.

With an irritated huff, Komura Takashi stuck his hands back in his pockets, and began the long walk back up the hill.

And here he'd thought today had been pretty good.

* * *

Today had been a good day.

The weather was clear, the crisp mountain breeze was simply delightful, and the only humans she'd met had been bandits.

They'd asked her what a pretty girl like her was doing out here all alone, which inevitably progressed to her asking if they wanted to keep their right hand or their left intact…

She hadn't even drained them dry, just a light snack if anything.

Yes, Busujima Saeko's day had been just _lovely_.

It had only gotten better when she found, of all things, a disgruntled and nervous young Green Oni, who warned her that the sleepy village about half a day's walk from here had, of all things, a young Hero guarding it.

She'd been expecting that something dangerous enough to spook an Oni, young though she may be, would have had to be a powerful Youkai in her own right. Perhaps an Ushi-Oni or a full grown Oni, perhaps a Red as they tended to be the strongest of their kind.

But no, this, this was far more interesting.

She'd been gone from her Lord's side for barely a week, and already she'd found such a promising lead!

A Hero, all the way out here, what were the chances?

What were the chances that she'd already be on the trail of exactly what she was sent here to find?

She'd been grateful enough to point the Oni in the direction of the people she'd dealt with, people now certainly not moving fast enough to escape a hungry Oni.

Ah, how fortunate she was that she'd find the Hero so soon in her journey…

She hoped he'd put up a good struggle.

* * *

He liked to think he'd put up a good struggle.

Clearly though, he'd suffered a humiliating defeat while he wasn't looking, because Takashi was laying face down on the floor.

Evidently, he'd dozed off at some point, reading his book to distract himself from that, and his weakness had been ruthlessly capitalized on.

This was the only logical explanation he could think of as to why his left leg, and right arm were currently bound behind his back.

Who knew that beneath that slightly worn, but still soft exterior lurked a predator's heart?

He'd never look at cotton blankets the same way again.

Eventually, after much struggling and cursing, he managed to free himself without ripping the blanket in half, and stepped out of his little cottage for some fresh air.

The mountain breeze carried with it just a hint of summer warmth, not a cloud in sight, and this time, the quiet was the quiet of a peaceful day.

Perhaps that's why he'd managed to doze off, in spite of his earlier frustration.

That was the problem with the mountains, though, they always left him feeling the last thing he wanted to feel.

Contemplative.

* * *

She was feeling contemplative, resting out of sight at the forest's edge.

The benefit her Lord provided is that he was not one to encourage thought, only obedience.

That, she could handle, even if it left her feeling more than a little dirty.

It kept her from thinking too deeply, from remembering.

Not that it mattered in the end.

Dirty was precisely what she was, after all, so it was fitting she feel as such.

Broken -_she hadn't meant to_-, filthy _-felt so right_-, defective -_murderer_.

But Lord Shido had taken her in when she had nowhere else to go, so even if he hadn't done it out of anything so banal as _kindness_, a debt was still owed.

A debt she would, hopefully, soon take another step towards repaying.

It was a lovely place, this sleepy little village that the Green Oni had grudgingly pointed her towards.

She could only just catch a glimpse of the village, above the layers of terraced rice paddy fields as it was, but Saeko had already decided she rather liked the place.

Even better, her sharp eyes had already picked up something rather interesting, nestled in the mountains shadow.

From a distance, it looked like another small terrace, slightly off to one side and above the village proper. Too small to be of use in any significant farming, little more than a steep hill flattened at the top, but...

It blended well, and she doubted any humans would pick it out from the distance, but there, on that lonely hill was a small wooden hut.

It was isolated, but at the perfect angle to oversee the whole village, and any intruders, intruders such as her.

Perfect for anyone who wanted to see trouble coming.

Which was why she had yet to break cover, and was currently reclining in a tree.

Sure, she could probably sneak through the paddy fields from terrace to terrace, she wasn't a Kunoichi for nothing, but…

Saeko was in no hurry.

That, and if her hunch was right and her prey did, in fact, reside in that lonely little hut, she wanted to be sure he was there, and not in the village itself.

She was hoping things would get violent, but that didn't mean she wanted to drag innocent people into it.

That was a line Busujima Saeko refused to cross, even if that line seemed to blur a little more with each passing day.

* * *

There was a line Takashi refused to cross, even if that line seemed to blur a little more with each passing day.

It was the reason that he'd taken the abandoned little cottage on the hill, instead of taking up residence within the village.

The reason he always seemed to disappear shortly after any celebration started, the reason that even though it had been almost two years since he'd settled down here, he couldn't say he was particularly close to any of the villagers.

Not that they were unfriendly, even if mountain folk tended to be an insular lot.

He just devoted a lot of his free time to keeping everyone else at arm's length.

They loved him anyways, which was something he both deeply appreciated and was deeply uncomfortable with. Which was why his line involved avoiding any suggestions of courtship like the plague.

It wasn't as if the unclaimed girls close to his assumed age weren't attractive, or friendly enough. They were nice girls, and any sane young man would feel blessed to have their eyes on him and him alone, even for a moment.

Takashi just never could get past the fact that screwing up his relationship with his last (only) crush had probably saved her life.

Rei hadn't been there when his life fell apart, and Takashi was deeply, deeply grateful, even if Rei would probably put a spear in him if they ever met once again.

He liked to pretend that he'd fled Order lands for some rational reason, but really, he just didn't want to face any of his living friends.

It wasn't as if seeing them would do any good.

There were some things in this world that 'I didn't mean to' would never, ever be a good enough answer for.

* * *

_I didn't mean to_\- if only that had been a good enough answer.

Saeko had jolted awake with cold sweat running down her spine, and the vestiges of a familiar dream lingering at the edges of her conscious mind.

Of course, it hadn't been a good enough answer, which was why she was serving Lord Shido and not-

Frowning sternly, Saeko cut off the train of thought before it could go any further.

She had been taught that disloyalty of thought eventually lead to disloyalty of action, and having already served as proof of that proverb once was more than enough.

It was a few hours after dark, now, and she would be able to easily investigate for signs of the Hero without anyone the wiser.

If she did find him, then would follow the 'assassination'... if she were a normal Kunoichi.

Since she wasn't, she'd just have to wait until he was asleep and inject him full of paralytics.

… Which would be boring, so she hoped the Hero would be on guard when she approached.

In fact, she was almost certain he would be… even if she had to cheat a little.

Beneath her mask, a pleased smile spread across her lips as Saeko slipped from the tree and out into the open, with moonlight as her only companion.

* * *

Moonlight as his only companion, once again.

They made festivals of moon-viewing, here in Zipangu, his home country.

Him?

He just did it to keep the loneliness of night at bay. Takashi had been raised upon the belief that everything in the world had a spirit, that the mana that coursed through everything had a life of its own.

The Order wasn't fond of that idea, but he'd never been interested enough to ask why.

Saya probably knew.

… Well, now he was feeling lonely again.

Guess he'd just do the same thing he always did when the loneliness started getting to him.

Quietly, Takashi slipped back into his modest little home.

* * *

Quietly, Saeko slipped in through the window of the modest little home, noting with some curiosity that rather than the futon favored in Zipangu, the Hero slumbered upon a Western style bed.

She'd crouched beneath the window sill, waiting for the telltale sounds of sleep to reach her ears.

She'd been in the shadow of a house on the outskirts, secretly observing that solitary figure on the hill, when a shift in the wind had carried his scent downhill.

Oh, he was most certainly a Hero.

No one else had mana like that, and… if he could utilize even half of those massive reserves, Saeko was in for a very, very good night.

It was a wonder he could keep it all contained, and, now that she thought about it, perhaps that Oni's misfortune had instead been the precise opposite.

Now, whose side would fortune be on tonight?

For a Kunoichi, leaving not a single trace of her passage was a task scarcely requiring effort.

So by the time the Hero's eyes flickered open, he was no longer alone on his bed.

Straddling him to keep his legs pinned, Saeko lifted her blade high.

* * *

A blade lifted high, glinting in the sliver of moonlight, was the sight that greeted Takashi when his eyes opened once more.

On instinct more than anything else, he twisted his body out of the blade's path.

A futile gesture at best, if it hadn't been Takashi doing it.

Instead, he caught a glimpse of blue eyes widening, as the forceful turn of his body launched his attacker off of him.

The slender figure landed lightly, weapon still in hand, and then flung themselves from the window as Takashi rolled off his bed, taking his mattress with him.

In a cramped space like his cottage, there was simply no space to avoid something that big.

The figure gained distance from the house in a series of flips and handsprings that Takashi probably would have broken something trying to imitate.

Then, rather than advance once more, or escape, the figure merely sheathed the blade in their hand and stood there, waiting.

Keeping an eye on the open window, Takashi stepped over to Titan, where it leaned against the opposite wall.

When the intruder made no motions to stop him, Takashi calmly slipped on his shoes and jacket before scooping up Titan and heading outside.

* * *

Beneath dark bangs, one eyebrow lifted in surprise as the Hero slowly exited the house, carrying, of all things, an Oni war club, or kanabo, over his shoulder.

Saeko knew it was of Oni make due to that familiar, silvery gleam.

Demon Realm Silver.

A studded, oddly slender war club made entirely of Demon Realm Silver, that must have been almost as long as the Hero was tall.

Resting casually on one shoulder.

So he was strong… but how strong?

Such an unwieldy weapon, she would be very, very displeased if he turned out to be one of those 'all style, no substance' sort of Heroes that she had heard of.

Now that she had a better look at him, he was kind of cute, she supposed. Slender, but the open haori he was wearing against bare skin exposed the firm, chiselled muscle beneath. Dark, spiky hair with just the faintest tint of purple.

Sharp brown eyes and a bold, callous stride.

Oh yes, this was going to be fun.

He stopped, some distance away from her as her hand fell to the hilt of her sword. A glimmer of recognition in his eyes, as she let her slender tail uncoil from around her waist, weaving slowly in the air as its dagger tip glinted in the moonlight.

However, he did nothing more than hold out his free hand in a clear signal to wait, shaking his head.

Oh?

This ought to be good.

* * *

This wasn't good.

The woman before him was a Kunoichi. A type of wingless succubus unique to Zipangu, trained in the art of ninjutsu in their secret villages. Dangerous in the extreme, and certainly not the type to wander all the way out here by accident.

Which meant she was here for him, if the wake-up wasn't enough of a hint.

She was taller than most girls he was used to, probably an inch or two shorter than he was. Glossy, dark purple hair in a high ponytail that fell just past her hips, captivating blue eyes, and a simple cloth half-mask of dark purple.

Long, slender limbs that carried with them a clear sort of athleticism, but accompanied by full breasts and gently curving hips. All of which he had a very clear view of, as her dark kimono-style jacket had no sleeves and apparently couldn't close all the way.

Or more than half of the way, really.

Her skirt was slitted on either side to bare her hips to the open air, and those long legs were wrapped in purple leggings.

This, this right here was one of the problems with Mamono, or Youkai as the Zipangu variants were often called.

It was hard to know where to look, when you were fighting them. On the other hand, at least you had a nice view while you were fighting for your life.

Which he imagined he was going to be doing, shortly, given how she wore that katana on her hip as if she'd been born with it on.

But first-

"Not here, we'll end up dropping the whole plateau on the villagers heads." Takashi said, as he pointed off to one side.

Honestly, he'd expected her to ignore his words- why should she care- but instead, she relaxed her posture minutely, and quirked an eyebrow in curiosity, though it was barely visible through her bangs.

"Small shrine, five minutes thataway. Nice and open, and I'm sure Bishamonten approve of two people duking it out in her yard."

Bishamonten was the Goddess of Combat, after all. In the West they called her Ares.

The Kunoichi didn't say anything, simply stepped back and gestured for him to lead on.

Takashi wasn't sure why he knew, but he was absolutely certain she was smiling under that mask of hers.

* * *

She couldn't help but smile, under her mask.

Wanting to reduce the chance of collateral damage was an honorable sentiment indeed, especially since the small terrace that his cottage rested upon definitely favored him over her.

Saeko might have been far more capable of standing her ground than most Kunoichi, but she still favored agility nonetheless.

This confrontation had subtly shifted from an ambush to a formal duel, but if anything, that just made her more excited.

Saeko might have been a Kunoichi, but she had always thought of herself as a swordswoman first. Her sisters in arms, when she'd still had such things, had always joked that she should have been born an Ochimusha instead, because the samurai life would have suited her better.

Sakeo agreed with them, personally, and would reply by bemoaning the fact that she had been born with too much of a pulse to be a proper Undead like the Ochimusha.

No, unlike most of her sisters in arms, Saeko lived for the fight.

Fitting, because she was confident that she was about to get the fight of her life.

* * *

He was about to be in for the fight of his life, wasn't he?

The Kunoichi hadn't tried anything. She'd kept just within his field of vision at all times, and matched his long strides in graceful silence.

That the Kunoichi hadn't done anything remotely ninja-like since she'd leapt out his window, and had demurely acquiesced when he'd requested a location change, all pointed to one thing.

Confidence.

That she was prepared for whatever he was about to throw at her.

Well, first time for everything, he supposed.

Unbeknownst to him, Takashi's determined frown had slowly given way to an eager smile.

* * *

She was grateful that her mask hid her smile, she didn't wish to seem too eager.

It was a wonderful location for a duel, she felt.

Well out of sight of the village, down a winding pathway that dipped and twisted through the high hills pushed up against the mountain range.

As a shrine, it was a simple, spartan affair; a small, open structure housing a weathered but well-cared for stone statue, barely larger than a person. The wide open area overseen by the statue was cobbled with pale mountain stone. It was hemmed in by tall wooden posts at each cardinal point, connected by thick prayer ropes, the ones at the shrine's 'entrance' high enough for even an Oni to walk underneath without stooping.

The statue depicted a graceful, beautiful warrior sitting in the lotus pose with her hair spilling down one shoulder like a river. Resting across her knees was a drawn katana of functional, elegant design, while her other hand gripped a hefty studded club, resting across her shoulders.

Bishamonten, Goddess of Combat. Referred to as 'Ares' in Order lands, as Saeko had once heard when Lord Shido felt like flaunting how learned he was.

Without a word exchanged, the two warriors paid their respects side by side.

Then, they took position some fifteen paces apart, prepared to-

"So… don't suppose you'll tell me why a Kunoichi chased me all the way out here?"

* * *

Asking why a Kunoichi had found him all the way out here seemed like a fair question, he thought.

"Hmm… a little bird was telling the stories of a young man with an arm like an Oni. My master caught wind and sent me to investigate."

"A little bird… ah hell, that Black Harpy from a month ago!"

"Harpy… ah yes, that's what they refer to the Tengu as in Order lands, is it not?"

"Yeah… she was pretty angry I kept her from flying off with Morita… I'm regretting the warning shot now."

Those lovely blue eyes crinkled at the edges, the only hint she might be smiling under her mask.

"Warning shot, was it? She claimed an entire boulder was hurled at her head."

"Oh please, the rock wasn't even bigger than your chest-"

Takashi clapped one hand to his face with a groan.

"Hmm… so you _have_ been paying attention."

The way she practically purred those words set off warning bells in his head.

This wasn't going to be one of 'those' kinds of assassinations, was it?

He'd take the death match, please!

"Now, I hope you're not going to disappoint me… I'll be very upset if you can't use that big, _strong_ club of yours."

Bishamonten was watching, woman! Focus!

… Oh wait, she gave her blessings to Mamono as well… especially those seeking a husband through battle.

… This was why he never prayed.

* * *

She had never been one for prayer, but internally, Saeko was praying that Bishamonten was looking the other way while she embarrassed herself.

What the hell was she saying!?

Big strong club!?

No!

That wasn't- why did she have to stop being a failure of a Succubus now!?

She'd meant it literally! That kanabo was too big for a person of his build to wield properly, unless his Blessing was strength-related!

No, this was a duel dammit, she expected at least one of them to bleed!

It was strange, though… she wasn't supposed to feel that way, she never had before…

Instead of feeling that surge of venomous rage when someone took note of her body, she'd felt somewhat… warm? Only for an instant, but it wasn't precisely unpleasant…

No, focus you silly woman! Focus on the duel, focus on the club about to-

Saeko threw her body into a backwards arch, eyes widening minutely as a stud of Demon Realm Silver passed a hairsbreadth from her nose.

The desperate evasion transitioned into a smooth handspring, and while she couldn't see it, she could feel the distortion of air from the second swing.

Saeko landed smoothly, some distance away.

The Hero didn't pursue, returning his kanabo to its resting place on his shoulder.

"You were staring at it awfully hard, so I thought I'd give you a closer look." He said with a shrug.

"A sneak attack? And here I thought we had an understanding."

"Oh please, it's not like it had any chance of hitting."

… Fair point.

The speed behind it had come as something of a surprise, but she was a bit too skilled for a straight-forward assault to hit her unless she was completely oblivious…

She had only been a bit distracted.

Avert your gaze, Bishamonten.

* * *

Avert your gaze, Bishamonten.

He'd never admit that he took a swing at the Kunoichi because the expressionless staring had started to creep him out.

Seemed like things were going to move along now, as the Kunoichi straightened to her full height with narrowed eyes.

"Busujima Saeko."

Takashi slid Titan down from his shoulder, resting it lengthwise against his arm.

"Komuro Takashi."

Precious little information to go off of, but…

Anything more was unnecessary.

In unison, they bowed to one another, and the whisper of a drawn blade heralded the start of their battle.

* * *

Saeko exploded into action, closing the gap and drawing her blade in one smooth motion that sent the weapon hissing for Komuro's neck.

It met a hulking mass of Demon Realm Silver, and sparks illuminated the battlefield.

Undeterred, Saeko reversed her blade for another sweep from below, angling upwards and parallel to the kanabo. Rather than parry once again, Komura smoothly spun away, a motion that could have been reckless had it not sent his kanabo howling in at waist height.

She allowed herself a smile at his glimmer of shock when she flipped over the crushing blow, twirling her body parallel to the ground… and swinging her leg in a wide arc, bringing the bridge of her foot down upon his head.

That was the intention, anyways. Instead, Saeko found herself suppressing a shriek as Takashi released his out of position kanado with one hand, caught her descending leg by the ankle… and hurled her across the clearing.

Muscles screaming as she twisted violently, Saeko caught herself before impact, and skidded across the stone into a sprinter's crouch, so low her chest was almost brushing the stone.

Oh, how perfect… she really was enjoying this.

* * *

Not good… he really was enjoying this.

Only misfortune followed when Takashi let himself enjoy things.

He could already feel the red creeping at the edge of his visions, feel his breath quicken, his muscles tighten…

And that damn smell wasn't helping!

It had been nagging him the whole way to the shrine, but intermingled with a subdued, sweet aroma was a subtle, metallic tang.

Blood and flowers.

He'd only caught it when she'd closed in once again, but the Kunoichi he was facing carried the scent of blood and flowers.

Baring her single, silvery fang like a great serpent, coiled low against the ground and ready to spring.

* * *

Eyes alight with excitement, Saeko sprung, pouncing upon the waiting Hero with sword flashing.

One strike wove into another and another, and at last she caught him, drawing a line across his cheek that bled a faint, dark violet mist into the air as his mana leaked from a wound bared upon spirit rather than flesh.

She wanted to cut him for real. She wanted him to cut _her _for real. Slice his flesh- _crush her limbs-_ tangle together in blood and fury until one of them laid spent upon the cold stone.

This, this was what was wrong with her.

She tilted her head to avoid the flat top of the kanabo thrusting towards her face, and her katana nicked his ribs.

She wanted to fight, she wanted to kill and be killed in a world where the _very gods themselves _ intervened to keep fatalities to a minimum.

She gagged as a fist caught her just below the ribs, the loudest sound she'd made all night.

She wanted to feel something, anything, and…

She hoped he'd be the one to give that to her.

He caught her, then, staggering her when his overhead swipe sent the cobblestone beneath her bucking like a wild horse.

His next swipe was hasty, and the kanabo didn't have his full weight behind it.

More than strike her, it lifted her, carrying her off her feet and launching her through the air for the second time that night.

* * *

Titan caught her around the midsection, and the Kunoichi folded around it, hurtling into the air and leaking a gleaming purple mist.

Our mana is almost the same color.

She twisted in the air once more, but couldn't correct herself in time, cracking her back against the stone and bouncing out of the clearing, skidding past Bishamonten, and almost to the edge of the plateau.

Takashi froze.

He'd forgotten.

The statue of Bishamonten had its back to a cliff…

For a moment, he wasn't staring at the edge of dull grey stone, illuminated by moonlight.

_Hot sun, beating down mercilessly from above._

_Hot stone beneath his feet, scorched brown by Heaven's unrelenting fire._

_Wing beats and cracking stone and roaring and screaming and-_

_Sharp blue eyes, inches from his own._

* * *

Dark brown eyes, inches from her own and not seeing her at all.

She hadn't noticed immediately, that the reason he didn't pursue her was not by choice.

She'd swayed to her feet, her whole world shaking and burning and…

Before she knew it, she was upon him.

A distant clatter that sounded vaguely familiar- _burning burning so soothing- _but she couldn't bring herself to look.

Saeko slammed him against the pillar, forcing his hands above his head with one of her own.

His eyes had just begun to snap back into focus when she struck.

She didn't know what she was doing, as she tore her mask away.

She only knew that she was burning, and she didn't understand but her lips against his felt so right, so perfect.

She had never kissed a man, even once, but her tongue twining around his just made sense and _\- maybe she wasn't so broken-_ everything could feel so right.

Her free hand tugged at worn fabric, and then coiled around something stiff- _burning like she was burning_\- but it wasn't nearly as important as her lips on his.

He jerked and bucked against her weakly as if all that unnatural strength had been a lie, and she ravaged his mouth with her own, stroked and pumped that stiff heat with a hand that had remained soft and delicate no matter how often she'd swung her blade.

For the first time in her life, Busujima Saeko felt like a real Succubus, a proper Kunoichi as she pinned the -her- man against the pillar and one-sidedly had her way with him.

_This._

It didn't take long. He jolted against her and went completely rigid for one beat of heart.

_This is what I've been missing_.

She broke the kiss and whispered.

"Do it."

He broke, bucking and crying out as he erupted, spraying his white flag into the air.

Limply he leaned against the pillar, propped up by only her grip on his hands, gasping and panting as his legs quivered.

_Mine._

A moan of pure rapture filled the air, drifting from her lips.

Some instinct told her that this was it, that she had won, that he was-

_Vacant eyes and a beast-like grin._

Then she was moving, choking as a hand clamped around her throat, lifted her into the air and slammed her back down hard.

The stone cracked beneath her as she gasped, but her instinctive exhale was cut off as the steel trap around her throat tightened, and her head was once more bounced off the stone.

The night lit up as pinpricks of light danced across her vision, but just as her gaze began to fade, the grip loosened.

She drew a deep breath, only to be cut off part way as the hand tightened once more.

Those empty eyes that saw nothing at all peered through her, that feral grin still twisting his lips.

Dimly, she heard the tearing of cloth and felt a sudden chill.

Then the heat was back as something pierced her, filled her to the brim as it tore something- _ would hurt if she was human-_ deep inside her that would have made her scream with the joy of it all if she could breath.

At last, everything made sense.

There, on the hard, cracked stone, he took her for everything she was worth, thrusting in and out, even as that grip around her throat kept her on teetering on the edge of asphyxiation and-

_Ah, I hope he kisses me again._

* * *

**And done.**

**Right now, it might seem skewed towards the MGE side of things, but in due time that will shift. If you'll notice, with the exception of the deity mentioned (Bishamonten is associated with war, so seemed a good Zipangu equivalent for Ares), all of the characters mentioned by name are from HOTD.**

**So yes, Saeko is in the service of that Shido, and if it makes you feel a little dirty, well, mission accomplished.**

**Speaking of her, I really was tempted to make her an Ochimusha, because, you know, samurai Mamono, but lewds with undead are a line I didn't want to cross, and revamping the Ochimusha felt like a copout. So she's a Kunoichi who everyone thinks should be an Ochimusha, but isn't. Something wrong there, which is fitting really, because 'something wrong there' fits Saeko in general.**

**Best girl is complicated.**

**Takashi is a little messed up too, you might have noticed, but neither of them were feeling up to being reliable narrators, so you'll have to tune in next time for more information.**

**The back and forth nature of this chapter was a bit of an experiment, so tell me what you think. Not going to do it every chapter, but felt kind of right here.**

**As for our lemon near the end, hopefully the gist of what was happening was communicated, because neither of the two were really in their right mind so being detailed didn't make a whole lot of sense.**

**I have no problem being explicit, but I won't do it just for the sake of it.**

**In other news, part of the reason I leapt on this particular idea is because the respective fandoms are kind of empty of good fics that are being updated on a reasonable schedule.**

**There are some, though, so feel free to ask and I'll throw out some recommendations via PM.**

**Schedule wise for me, my stories will have about a chapter per month. Not calender-wise, but in the sense that chapters for a particular story will have about a month between them.**

**Anyways, feel free to share your thoughts, and predictions as to what new form each of the HOTD cast will be brought to life as in this new story.**

**Oh, and did anyone else like the idea of keeping Takashi's trusty baseball bat alive in a more setting suitable form?**


	2. Lonely With You

**This chapter contains the sort of sexiness that was only vaguely alluded to last time.**

**Fun little note, the titles of this chapter and the last are an allusion to the song 'Broken' by Lovelytheband.**

**Listened to that song a lot writing this story.**

**... And 'Diggy Diggy Hole' by Wind Rose, which is a lot less relevant but also good.**

* * *

When Takashi blinked himself awake with a yawn, the first thing he saw above him were a pair sparkling blue eyes, looking over from the side, and a tender smile upon a set of pink, faintly glossy lips.

A heartbeat later, it occurred to him that the only thing _past_ her was sky, and with that in mind...

"Guess I lost, huh?"

Those blue eyes blinked, once, twice as the smile gave way to a confused frown. Then the lips twitched, and-

"Pfft- hahahahaha!" The girl, Busujima if he was remembering right, burst into bright, happy laughter that made her whole body shake.

Through his embarrassment, Takashi noticed that he could _feel _that shaking, and that the hard stone he should be lying on was rather soft and springy.

Mostly though, he was thinking that just because her laughter sounded amazing, didn't mean he wanted it at his expense!

"Fine, fine, get it out of your system." He muttered, averting his gaze with a huff that confirmed that yes, it was her lap he was lying on.

"Hehe- n-no I'm s-sorry I… hehe… didn't mean it l-like that!" Busujima managed to gasp out between chuckles.

Takashi turned his head back with one eyebrow raised.

"It's just." The Kunoichi wiped her eye with one last chuckle. "I get that you were a little… out of it… but you must not remember _anything_ if you think the night ended with you -hehe- _losing_."

"Right… so then how did it end?

"You pumped so much mana into me I thought I was going to burst?" She suggested with an innocent smile. "Oh, and then I passed out." She clarified helpfully.

"Oh... I see."

"Indeed."

"... And… why is my head on your lap?"

"When I awoke, I found you slumbering beside me, and it only seemed fair that as the loser, I make your rest more comfortable?" She said it with such conviction that for a moment, it made perfect sense to him, but...

"... Outside?"

Busujima nodded, her smile a bit puzzled.

"You know where my house is… and we're still outside." He wasn't sure if he meant that as a question or a statement.

The Kunoichi flushed and averted her gaze, ducking her head and pulling up her scarf to cover her mouth.

Not very effective in hiding her mood when those pointed ears of hers (now reddened at the tips) were fluttering up and down.

"... This is as far-" The rest of the words vanished into the muffling fabric.

"... Come again?"

With an embarrassed huff, the Yokai replied. "This is as far as I could get… I can't actually stand."

"... You can't stand up?" Takashi said in a disbelieving tone.

From the way she'd phrased it, he'd pumped a _lot _of his mana into her. Forget tired, she should have enough juice to run laps around the mountains!

"Well, I probably can _by_ _now _but… it's not like we're all _born _good at that sort of thing… isn't it normal to be sore for your first time? You weren't exactly gentle you know." The Kunoichi sulked.

Oh, it was her first time, that made sense.

Wait… he'd pumped her full of mana. His mana, which meant…

The next thing Takashi knew, he was on his feet and pointing over at the startled Kunoichi, and what was about to come out of his mouth was anyone's guess.

"What do you mean your first time!? You're a Succubus!" He didn't even know what he was going to say before he said it, so at least they were _both _surprised.

The Succubus in question went still.

"... Yes…?"

"So don't give me that crap, you'd have starved to death by now! Next you're going to tell me that none of that was planned!"

"... W-well…"

Sharp brown eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Ah… it made her chest hurt when he glared at her like that.

"... Explain." He said at last.

"... We're… we Kunoichi aren't _quite _like other Succubus… we _can_ eat normal food… it… helps us blend, so I'm told."

Takashi was just about to fire back another retort when something brought him to a dead halt.

She… wasn't looking at him anymore. Her gaze distant, and at some point, her sword had returned to her hands, just… still in its sheath, and clutched against her as if it were the world's sharpest safety blanket.

"You said you can eat normal food." She blinked in surprise and turned her gaze back to him as he spoke, almost as if she'd forgotten he was there.

Hesitantly, the Kunoichi nodded.

He… wasn't glaring anymore.

For reasons she couldn't quite put into words that...

"... And how well does that work for you?"

… That frightened her.

Takashi wasn't all that surprised when the woman cringed, huddled pitifully behind her sword.

Those pretty blue eyes drifted slowly shut, as the Yokai went completely, utterly still.

He had almost begun to think she wasn't going to answer at all, when a quiet exhale slipped from her mouth.

"It's nothing all that strange." She began, her tone soft and measured, and her eyes still closed. "I'm sure you've experienced it yourself, once or twice. Having eaten and being no longer quite hungry, but… not quite satisfied either."

"... And how long has that been going on for?"

Another quiet exhale, and a light and casual tone that didn't suit her demeanor at all.

"A decade, give or take?"

"Why?" Somehow, he doubted he'd need to clarify.

The Kunoichi's eyes opened slowly, focused upon a distant sight that only she could see.

"Let's just say that…" Saeko hesitated.

_Wine on his breath and his hands on her-_

"The last time I tried to act like a proper Succubus it didn't end very well... for anyone."

_Huddled in the garden, the salt of tears stinging her eyes, the scent of bile stinging her nose, and the snapping of ( ) ringing in her ears._

Takashi watched the Yokai huddled on the ground, clutching her sheath for comfort, lurch as if ill.

Yeah, he recognized this.

_Hot sun and hot stone._

Whatever event she was remembering...

_Wing beats and cracking, falling-_

Part of her was still there.

"Dammit. Dammit all." Takashi growled, scratching his head.

The Kunoichi slowly gazed up at him in confusion, almost like she'd forgotten he was there.

"... Enough beating around the bush." Takashi declared, pointing down at her. "What do you want from me?"

The grip on her sword tightened as she gave a start, shying away from his finger without even realizing it.

"My orders are to… bring you to my lord." She began, carefully.

"Great, but that's not what I asked."

The Kunoichi went quiet for what seemed like a long while then, staring at the ground with a gentle frown on her face.

Takashi watched her in silence, and then, without looking up at him, at last the young woman spoke.

"I want to stay." The second she gave voice to her wishes, her eyes shot wide open with shock, it seemed that _she _was the most caught off-guard by the answer.

Takashi remained silent as her gaze slowly lifted to his.

"I want to stay… with you." She said, louder this time, even as the catch in her voice betrayed her nerves.

"Why?"

"I've…" Another frown as she contemplated. "I've never been able to feel like a… _normal _Kunoichi, a normal Yokai. I… I can't remember the last time I've been able to feel happy without feeling…"

Guilty afterwards.

Yeah… she didn't need to finish the thought.

The woman stiffened as Takashi walked a short distance away, scooping up the discarded Titan and resting the kanabo over his shoulder.

"Okay."

"O...kay?" She hesitantly repeated.

"Okay." Takashi confirmed with a nod. "If that's what you want, then okay."

She flinched.

"Y-you mean?"

"Yeah, you can stay with me." Takashi said. "I mean… that is."

Saeko blinked up at the young man as he averted his gaze, scratching his head and flushing a bit.

"I mean, I did take your first…" Did she know what he meant? Because he didn't. "I mean I'm sorry if I was kinda rough- that is, not that I'm-"

She blinked once more as that knot of tension around her heart came unwound, and before she knew it she was giggling once again.

Takashi scowled at the giggling Yokai, before relenting and rolling his eyes with a smile.

This wasn't the first time she'd laughed at him, but…

This time, he just couldn't bring himself to mind.

* * *

As Komura helped her to her feet, Saeko took a moment to gaze deeply into those sharp brown eyes of his.

As the now flustered young man released her hand, Saeko was hit by a sudden shock as she realized how _deprived _that loss of contact made her feel.

Ah, maybe she really wasn't as broken as she'd thought.

After all, she'd been sent after a target of interest, just like a proper Kunoichi, and just like a proper Kunoichi, now that she was 'with' her target she was definitely-

* * *

He was an idiot.

Seriously, what was he thinking!?

Oh sure, no big deal that you were sent to kidnap me, hey, if you don't have a place to stay while you're here, why not hang out at my place?

Sure, he knew he was a bit impulsive, but come on!

He just, he…

No, there was no sense pretending that he didn't know what he was doing here.

That girl, Busujima (come to think of it, he wasn't sure if he should still use her family name after they'd done all of _that_... and man, did he wish he remembered more of it) just reminded him of himself.

Maybe she didn't realize it herself but… the first time she'd looked frightened, truly frightened, was right on the heels of when she'd seemed happiest.

As if the chance to be _happy _was her deepest, darkest fear.

From her story, it had been simple enough to pick up that something wasn't quite right about her.

Violent monsters weren't anything strange. The difference was, that for just about every other monster on the planet, from the most drunken of Oni to the most sadistic of Manticores, violence was… well, foreplay.

For the woman walking soundlessly behind him, it was-

_Soft lips against his and a soft hand around his-_

…. Probably still foreplay.

He was pretty sure he'd been thinking about something important, but man, this heat was just killing him!

'_I mean, it just me, or this wide-open plateau really hot and stuffy today?'_

* * *

A few steps behind the slowly walking Takashi, Saeko was having struggles of her own.

Truly, she was embroiled in a struggle of epic proportions.

Engaged in a furious battle against her own two legs, valiantly fighting off every attempt to reduce her measured, sedate stride into a cheerful skip or sway.

Holding the line with grim determination against her own mouth, stubbornly standing her ground against its every attempt to open wide, and…

Let the entire mountain hear her joy.

As Saeko waged war in silence, it completely slipped her notice that, directly behind her, a daring betrayal had been carried out in secret.

… By the knife-tipped tail of a Kunoichi, squirming and dancing happily about uncontested.

Well, not every battle could be won.

* * *

They made out of the twisting hills in relative silence, but before they could break onto the steep slope leading to Takashi's cottage, Takashi was halted with a hand on his shoulder.

Turning, he quirked one eyebrow to look at the woman behind him.

"If the villagers see you walking along with an armed stranger, there will be many questions." Saeko informed him quietly.

"Yeah, you're right." Takashi agreed, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Especially if she's hot."

"..."

"... You okay?"

Her reply was once again lost behind the folds of the scarf she had pulled up over her chin and mouth.

"... Saeko?"

The scarf slipped down as the Yokai gave an odd shiver. Her tail, once more uncoiled from her waist, went completely rigid.

"... What did you just call me?" Came the low whisper.

"... Your name? Seems kind of weird for us to still use family names if, you know, we…" Takashi trailed off. "I mean, we don't _have _to, I just thought it might make things less awkward, you know, well-"

His rambling was cut off by a slender finger against his lips.

He found the Kunoichi, no, Saeko, smiling gently at him with a shimmer in her lovely blue eyes.

"Forgive me. I did not mean to make things difficult." Her apology was delivered in a contrite whisper, but- "I'd _love _it if you would use my given name… _Takashi~_"

It was Takashi's turn to shiver as she _purred_ his name.

"Mm… but I believe I will avoid revealing myself to the village unless you desire me too. I will meet you there, Takashi." Saeko told him, turning on her heel. "After all, I still need to retrieve the rest of my things, I hid them in the forest below before seeking you out."

"Yeah, sure, makes sense… it's kind of open though, and it's broad daylight, how are you going to…?"

"A girl needs to keep _some _secrets, doesn't she?" Saeko replied over her shoulder.

"I am a ninja, after all…" Heavy-lidded eyes smoldered as she smiled once more. "_Surprises _are my specialty."

* * *

In the end, Takashi was grateful that it took her about ten minutes to make her way up to his hut and slip in through the open door without being detected by those below.

He'd needed all ten of those minutes to regain enough composure to be able to look his newfound companion in the eye... without blushing.

* * *

The last hour had involved more flirting than one Busujima Saeko had done in her entire life.

Truthfully, Saeko had not needed ten minutes to make it up to Takashi's modest cottage undetected.

No, she'd simply needed all ten of those minutes to regain enough composure to be able to look her newfound companion in the eye... without blushing.

* * *

What a surprise, having the Yokai who picked a fight with him, then lost her virginity to him just last night, in his tiny hut was kinda awkward.

It didn't help that the girl sitting on his bed (one of two possible choices, discounting the floor) seemed intent on examining every single inch of his modest home. Or that she was doing it with the sort of rapt fascination that brought to mind a kid at their first flower festival.

Or, maybe it was that she'd taken the time to change out of her combat gear, and was now wearing a dangerously loose blue yukata that barely qualified as thigh-length and nothing else, since she'd ditched her sandals.

He had his back to her, rooting through the tall cupboard that served as his pantry and basically any other kind of storage. Also, keeping those crossed, slender, white legs firmly out of sight as the top one bounced playfully.

It was hard not to stare when the damn (sexy) things just seemed to stretch on for miles!

Placing his cutting board and a knife on the tall, square table he used to prepare food, Takashi was busy chopping vegetables when he worked up the nerve to ask what might have been a sensitive topic with her.

Trying to keep it casual, Takashi raised his voice without turning his head. "I'm gonna just make something quick, you want anything?"

"Hmm… just a small portion, please. I don't wish to pass up on a chance to taste your cooking, but…" Her voice lowered, and Takashi got the sense she'd averted her gaze. "I'm still rather full."

"Oh? When did you… oh." Kunoichi were Succubus, right… her meal had been…

The person who'd just sliced his finger to the bone because he wasn't paying attention, apparently.

"Ow." He deadpanned.

Well, not really a big deal-

"TAKASHI!" He nearly jumped out of his skin at the scream from behind him.

Whirling, he found Saeko already in front of him, eyes wide with panic and hands hastily unfurling a roll of bandages he didn't even know she had.

"We need to stop the bleeding!" She fretted, eyes wild as she took his hand in hers. "Sit down, I'll-"

"It's fine." Her panicked look was way worse than a little cut like this.

"No it's not, it's-!"

"Shh, hey, hey, bleedings already stopped, see?" Gently, he removed his hand from her grasp and sucked on the finger quickly before showing her.

"That's not… possible." She trailed off in confusion as she saw that the bone-exposing gash in his finger was not, in fact, bleeding, and that the wound was slowly beginning to close.

He was lucky the injury was pretty small. It had only triggered a _tiny_ surge of irritation when she'd doubted him.

"Yeah, I heal a bit faster than normal. It's part of my Blessing."

"... A bit faster?" Saeko raised an eyebrow. "Takashi, you chipped the bone, and now I can't even see it."

"Chipped the bone? Huh, didn't notice." He commented blandly.

Saeko glared at him.

"What? … Oh… sorry." She was just reacting _normally_ after all. "Not used to having other people around… I didn't mean to brush off your concern like that."

Saeko glared at him for another moment or two before relenting with a gentle shake of her head.

"It's alright… as long as you understand."

Quietly, she returned to sitting on the bed, as Takashi cleaned off the knife and cutting board while the cut finished closing.

Hmm, looks like he'd need to go down to the well soon.

… Or not, actually, since…

* * *

Saeko was gazing out the window, trying not to make a scene as Takashi worked.

She hadn't meant to scold him like that, but… his wound had hurt her too, more so than if it had been _her _finger sliced open.

The scent of blood had sent her heart racing, and not in the usual, pleasant way either.

Even worse, that would have been the perfect time to take over preparing food, and impress him with her home-making skills, some of the few non-combat lessons she'd actually been good at!

The stove, or kamado, was of a traditional terracotta design favored in Zipangu, unlike his bed, so she could have used it just fine, too!

These were the thoughts occupying her mind when it occurred to her that she was being stared at.

At least he'd put the knife down first, good!

"...Yes?"

"I said, is leaving in the morning okay with you?"

"L-leaving!?" Leaving, what did he mean leaving!? He wasn't going to… throw her out, was he?

"Whoa, whoa, I didn't think the idea was that bad!" Takashi panicked upon seeing _her _panic. "We can wait a few days before heading out if you're tired!"

That brought her spiraling thoughts to a lurching halt.

"... We?"

"Huh?"

"What do you mean 'we'?"

"Well obviously I'm coming with you. It's kinda my fault, isn't it?" Takashi pointed out, not really getting where the confusion was coming from.

"... Your fault?" Saeko tilted her head in confusion. "Forgive me, but… I don't understand what you're talking about at all."

Takashi blinked, and Saeko fought down the urge to avert her eyes, feeling a bit ashamed for reasons she couldn't quite describe.

She didn't mean to, don't look so disappointed!

"Aren't you serving some guy, a Lord… something or other?" He began slowly.

Saeko felt a sharp spike of fear.

"L-Lord Shido!? Why do you want to…"

"Well, you're not going to be able to serve him very well if you're staying with me, and I'm kind of angry that he sent someone to attack me, so…" Takashi grinned, and Saeko felt an entirely different kind of shiver from the wicked edge to that smile.

"I figure I'll ask for your release from service as compensation. If that doesn't work, I'll just stop asking and take you." Whatever that Shido guy was making her do, Takashi had a good feeling it had something to do with that miserable, withdrawn look she wore whenever her attention wandered.

Takashi froze as a long moan filled the air.

Saeko cut her voice off with a demure hand over her lips, eyes alight and legs rubbing against each other sensually.

"Ohhh… if you keep talking like that, then a girl's going to get all sorts of _fun _ideas." If he kept talking dirty like that, well, she might have to ask him to take _responsibility _again-

"Slow down there." Takashi rolled his eyes.

… With another fight… and then probably...

"Mmmm… but are you sure it will be that easy?"

"Doubt it. Don't care."

"... Why? It could be dangerous, and you…" Saeko felt her heart sink, even as she gave voice to the obvious. "... Don't owe me anything."

"I may not look like much of one, but…" And he hated that word, but… "I am a Hero, didn't you know?"

Maybe, what he needed, what Saeko offered, was a chance to _act _like the Hero everyone told him he was meant to be.

... He was done running.

If he could help just one person, if he could _save_ just one person, than maybe…

The Blessing of the Gods weren't such a sick joke after all.

"I see." Saeko's sensual air had given way to a tender, understanding smile. "Though, I imagine the Order would be rather cross if you acted that way on behalf of a monster."

"Well, the Order isn't the one that Blessed me, so if they have any objections they'll have to send the letter a bit higher up the chain." Takashi grinned.

The Kunoichi giggled.

After that, they passed their time in companionable silence until;

"Ya know, something's been bothering me." Takashi said without turning.

"Yes? What is it?" Sakeo inquired.

"Well, you said you'd been sent to investigate me, right?"

"I did, yes."

"And I can kind of guess that if I turned out to be 'of interest', you were supposed to try and bring me to that Shido guy."

"You are correct…"

Takashi put down the knife and turned with one eyebrow raised.

"So did you actually observe me for a few days, or…?"

"I had a nap before our encounter." Saeko pointed out as if it were obvious. "And I met the Oni you drove off, so _obviously _the rumors of your strength were true if you could one-sidedly manhandle an Oni, young or not."

That was a fair point, but...

"... And you didn't consider asking if I wanted to come with you?"

"Of course I did, I just wasn't willing to risk you easily agreeing."

"I think I already know the answer, but…" Takashi sighed.

"Precisely." Saeko nodded, pleased. "If you'd said yes, I wouldn't have been able to fight you first."

"..."

"... Yes? Was there something else?" Saeko asked with an innocent smile.

"... No, no, there's nothing."

* * *

This was a first.

Saeko, as she'd admitted earlier, was well-accustomed to mundane food, having a greater need of it than proper Kunoichi.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd _enjoyed _eating, however, and she knew it wasn't just because it was Takashi making it… he really was that good of a cook.

That her reaction to her very first bite had prompted a proud smirk from the young man told her that something as mundane as _words _weren't necessary to convey her opinion.

… No words necessary to... convey her…

It was Saeko's turn to smirk.

* * *

"So, now that my stomach isn't trying to eat itself anymore, I'd really like to go get cleaned up. You probably passed the stream on the way here, so that's where I'll be if anything comes up."

"I see." Saeko replied, in an oddly subdued tone of voice.

"Don't worry, I won't be gone that-"

"May I come with you? I could use the chance to freshen up." Saeko asked.

No, no she couldn't, because she was gorgeous enough as it was, and he didn't want water and _even _less clothing complicating a situation he still hadn't quite figured out.

"Sure, I don't mind. I have a spare towel if you need it."

… Dammit.

"Yes please."

Well, at least there was plenty of creek to go around.

A sheltered, covered, and _not_ soon to be naked creek, that _didn't _have a charming, grateful smile on its face.

A creek that didn't somehow still smell nice after a night of vicious brawling and (allegedly) rough sex.

… He remembered when baths used to be relaxing.

* * *

Saeko met him on the eastern edge of the terraced farmland, near the edge of the forest. He had no idea how she'd gotten there ahead of him with only vague directions, but Takashi had decided that he wasn't in a position to worry about the small things, and had let it pass without comment.

Handing her his spare towel, he told her; "We have a little bit of a walk ahead of us, but this way you don't have to worry about anyone stumbling across you, so no need to hide your ears and tail."

"I appreciate that." Saeko smiled.

It wasn't uncommon for Yokai to be able to hide their inhuman features, and with unobtrusive features like pointed ears and a thin tail, a Kunoichi like Saeko could easily maintain the magic for weeks on end.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave your weapon behind?" She had brought her sword at the very least, hanging off of her sash.

"Titan's kind of heavy to be lugging around everywhere I go, and in an emergency, well…" True, the Oni hadn't told her anything about a weapon.

"Fair point." Hesitantly, she asked her next question. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you come to possess an Oni war club? Especially one of pure Demon Realm Silver?"

Saeko immediately regretted asking as Takashi grimaced.

"Ah, I didn't… forgive me, I shouldn't have asked."

"Huh?" Takashi raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry about it, the story itself isn't anything too bad."

Saeko bit back her sigh of relief.

Takashi was silent for a moment, getting the details straight in his head.

"I won it from a Blue Oni-" She shouldn't have asked, of course he'd had to fight! "- In a drinking contest."

Oh, that was-

Anyone less graceful than a literal ninja would have lost their footing entirely.

"In a drinking contest!? With an Oni!?"

Takashi nodded in understanding at the admittedly quiet outburst.

"That was my reaction too, don't remember a thing but that's what she told me. Personally, I think I just entertained her enough to make her feel generous."

"That makes sense…?" Missing the irony, Saeko asked; "Did you and her...?"

"Huh? No, we didn't have sex, if that's what you're wondering."

"... Are you sure that was an Oni?"

Thankfully not caught off-guard (that question always seemed to come up with this story), Takashi shrugged.

"She was married. Normally she'd drink with her husband, but he had sealed himself away in his forge making her _new _kanabo as an anniversary present, she wanted company, and I was too young for her anyways." Takashi explained. "That was before I settled down here, so she decided that I could use a proper weapon on my travels and gave me the one she used when she was younger."

"... A hand-forged weapon as an anniversary present? How romantic." Saeko whispered dreamily.

"Yeah, she thought so too. He made her one every couple of years, basically whenever he thought he could top his previous work."

"... So, what did you use before Titan?" Of course she'd remember the name, it was a weapon and it was _his_.

"Small trees occasionally, but usually my fists."

"... I can imagine." Muscles _straining_, sweat _glistening _as he tore a young tree from the shaking earth with his bare hands.

"... I bet." Takashi deadpanned as the girls faraway gaze glittered.

"But… if you don't mind me asking, why name it Titan? It doesn't seem like a Zipangu name, is there some significance to it?"

"Oh, that." Saeko inwardly berated herself as Takashi's smile grew distant. "I moved to Order lands when I was pretty young, so you could say I was both trained and raised there."

A wistful chuckle that made her heart ache.

"A friend and I used to dream of all the adventures we'd have when we finished our training and became proper Heroes." Takashi reminisced. "He was the one that told me that a Hero's weapon needed a name, and I wasn't very good at naming."

This time, when he laughed at least it wasn't quite so sad.

"Even back then my Blessing always lent itself to sheer brute force, so he came up with the idea of me one day swinging around a bilg old mace named Titan." Takashi smiled. "Might not quite be the weapon I envisioned, but… Titan's been a good friend to me."

"I see…" She was sorry she had asked, if only for the melancholy air it brought with it. Her hands twitched, desperate to reach out and offer…

Man, he hoped Kohta was alright. Though, he had Saya to look after him, so he was probably just fine.

-In the end, Saeko's hands stayed where they were.

* * *

"Achoo!"

"Are you alright? You're not coming down with something are you?"

"Hmm? No, I'm fine, must have just gotten some dust in my nose."

"... Well good then. Not that I was worried."

"Yeah, thanks." He said with a sincere smile.

One that only grew when she crossed her arms with a huff.

"But seriously, are you feeling alright? I mean, I am a genius so I'm sure everything worked just fine, but this isn't exactly a clear-cut ritual." She asked, much more gently, scrutinizing him carefully.

"Don't worry, I feel great! One freshly minted Incubus, at your service!"

"Agh! D-d-don't be so…" Blushing furiously, she found herself torn between being happy that he was happy, and being embarrassed that he was happy about _that_.

When she recovered, she found him smiling indulgently at her, which only made it worse.

"... You dork." She murmured, though her knee-jerk reaction did make her feel just a little bad.

… She needn't have worried.

"Love you too!" He immediately fired back, without a trace of guile.

Ah… he really was perfect, wasn't he?

N-not that she'd ever admit that!

"Anyways, if you're feeling so energetic, get ready to leave." She commanded. "We've stayed here for too long as it is, we need to get to the coast and find a harbor before the Order catches wind of us."

"You got it!... Remind me why we need a harbor?"

"Ugh… home is safer, there's less of an Order presence, and then we can track down that moron Takashi!"

"Oh yeah, that's right! Yep, I don't think he's dead either, so I'm pretty worried about him too to be honest."

She groaned in dismay as he effortlessly saw through her yet again.

"... Hold on a second, you."

"Yes?" He asked with an innocent tilt of the head that made her traitorous hands want to rub his plump cheeks.

"Were you not listening to anything I said last night!?"

"... I tried my best?" He suggested hesitantly. "I was kind of focused on other things."

"Other things!? What could possibly be more important than… oh."

"Yep!"

"... Stop being so sweet and let me be mad at you."

"Only if you agree to be less cute."

"..."

"... Please don't agree to that."

"...You know what? I give up."

"Love you, Saya." He said with a smile.

Rolling her eyes, she planted a kiss on his cheek and whispered against it.

"Love you too, Kohta." Spinning away on her heel, Saya placed her hands on her hips and smiled confidently. "Now chop chop!"

"Yes ma'am!" Kohta saluted with a grin.

It had been two years since they'd last seen Takashi, so who knows what kind of trouble he'd gotten into without someone responsible to keep an eye on him!

* * *

He was in trouble, Takashi freely could admit. He'd led Saeko to the secluded forest pool he always went to when he didn't want to bump into anyone, and then left to go further up the creek, and give Saeko some privacy.

That had been his plan, but...

"Hmm? Where are you going?"

"Further up the stream, you know, give you some privacy." Takashi said with an awkward chuckle.

"I appreciate the thought, but there's no need." Saeko's smile grew a little forlorn. "And… if it's not too much trouble, I… I don't want to be alone just yet."

… What exactly was he supposed to say to that?

"... No, I shouldn't have asked that, never mind me, I don't want to make things difficult." She tried to backtrack.

He hoped the stream was extra cold today… cold water sounded like it was about to come in _real_ handy.

"Nah, I'll stick around if you want me to." He said, struggling to keep his voice level so that how incredibly self-conscious he was feeling wasn't incredibly obvious.

"Really? Thank you." There should be rules against a pretty woman smiling like that.

Not trusting himself to speak, Takashi turned his back and began getting undressed. Without looking back towards that tempting whisper of cloth he was hearing, he waded into the water.

Luckily, it turned out that yes, the water was rather cold today, even though the air was still pretty warm.

He'd never been so grateful for mountain-fed water.

Bracing himself, Takashi leaned and plunged his head beneath the water, figuring that he should at least start rinsing off while he waited.

He might have had a spare towel, but he _didn't _have spare soap, and so obviously he'd offered it to Saeko first.

Which was why when a pair of hands dropped onto his shoulders, and a pair of somethings wet, soft and foamy mashed themselves against his upper back, about the only thought Takashi was able to process was the scent of his soap, intermingled with…

A sweet floral scent, tinged with a subtle hint of iron.

Then Saeko's grip tightened, and she began to move up and down, sliding-

"Sorry… I know I'm not as soft as other girls, but I at least have confidence in how well I can move my body."

Clouds. Were these 'other girls' made of clouds!?

"C-clouds!? You don't have to tease me like that… it's not like I've done this before." The woman currently rubbing herself against him sulked.

… Inner voice had leaked out, had it?

"S-sorry, I just…" Takashi paused for a moment, wondering why he felt like the silly one. "W-what exactly are you doing?"

The body pressed up against him stilled.

"... Washing your back?"

"No, even if you use that tone it still doesn't make sense." Just like how rational he was feeling didn't make sense either.

Unless he'd really just lost it this time.

"... Isn't this how a woman's supposed to do it for a man?"

"... I think whoever told you that was just screwing with you."

"... Dammit, Mai-Sensei." Saeko muttered, lowly enough he wasn't sure he'd been meant to hear. "I can… stop, if you'd like. I was just trying to do something nice for you, I didn't mean to cause you trouble."

"... Somehow, I think the troubles you're thinking about and the troubles I'm thinking about are completely different." And _she _was still pressed up against him!

"What do you mean?"

"I don't even know why I have to explain this, but Saeko, I can't think of any guy who'd hate it when a pretty girl rubs her naked body against him as a _favor_."

"... But?"

"But it's also kind of… look, I'm trying to be a gentleman here, and it's really, really hard when you're rubbing your boobs on me!" Takashi finally yelled, frustrated.

"You don't have to be a gentleman if you don't want to… not with me. Takashi, I'm not as frail as you seem to think…" Takashi stiffened as Saeko wrapped her arms gently against his chest, pressing the side of her head against the back of his.

Without warning, her grasp tightened as a sharp gasp filled the air. Takashi yelped as he was roughly spun around to face Saeko, her hands once more tightly clasping his shoulders as her eyes stared searchingly into his.

"... You're afraid." It wasn't a question. "Takashi… how could it be that the thing you're most afraid of… is yourself?" Saeko's voice drifted free in a hushed whisper.

The way Takashi flinched and twisted his gaze away with grit teeth all but confirmed it.

Ah… she really didn't want to be right. If only for the pain it caused him.

"... It's your Blessing, isn't it? You're strong, your wounds heal themselves, and when your rational mind loses control… something wild takes its place. You've referenced it a few times, but… you've never once said a name."

She didn't want to make it worse, please, please don't look so disheartened, it was just that, she could tell that…

If she didn't push now, when she had the chance… he would never stop running.

"Berserker."

"... Never heard of it." And yes, she _was _feeling rather ashamed of that.

A bitter chuckle.

"Strange, really, it's not like it was that uncommon." Takashi turned to her with harsh grin. "About a thousand years ago, anyways."

"... A thousand years? That's…"

"It doesn't fit."

"... It doesn't fit?"... No… he couldn't mean-

"With the world we live in, my Blessing just doesn't fit. I mean, Bishamonten herself intervenes to keep battlefield fatalities to a minimum, so what good is a blood-crazed warrior on a battlefield with no blood spilled?"

He did… he was… they were both…

"It's nice and simple, really. I heal faster, I hit harder, I move better the angrier I get. Even on a bad day I can wrestle an Oni, and as long as I have mana nothing short of decapitation is gonna keep me down for long." Takashi explained, still with that awful smile that seemed etched on his face.

"Only problem is, all that aggression screws you up real fast, so it doesn't take long for everything to look like an enemy."

They were both born in the wrong era, weren't they?

"So, I betcha you can imagine what would have happened last night if I'd lost it when you and I were still having a fight?"

She'd been helpless… caught off-guard like that, he could have torn her limb from limb.

Somehow, the thought of having _her _blood pouring from his hands, only bothered her because…

The image of Takashi, standing there in a ruined shrine, overtop the ruins of her body seemed so…

Lonely.

He misunderstood, of course. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Takashi threw his arms wide. "That's why I'm not afraid of you Saeko, why I didn't bat an eye when you told me that something about you isn't like the other little Yokai. Because I'm worse."

No, don't say it.

"Because you're not the monster here, _I_ am."

"That's okay."

"Yeah, I know, it's- huh?" Takashi blinked in confusion and stared hard at her. "S-sorry, I don't think I heard you right."

"Takashi, I trust you."

Takashi let out a shocked hiss, and his hand splashed against the water's surface as he took a panicked step back.

Futile, because she smoothly stepped with him.

"Takashi, I believe in you."

Another step taken, another step matched.

"Takashi, I…" No, she couldn't hesitate here. "Takashi, I love you."

Another step back as the panicked young man continued to retreat without even meaning to. She didn't let the distance grow a single inch.

"I never really believed the adults of the village, but now, I understand what they mean." She explained calmly as they moved. "They always used to tell us 'We aren't like humans. We don't need time, when you fall in love, it takes only a single beat of the heart, before your heart beats for one reason alone.'"

Perhaps if he'd been able to pay attention to his surroundings, Takashi would have noticed that Saeko had been subtly, gradually steering his retreat.

"Takashi, you're my reason. You will _always _be my reason." Mercilessly, she cornered him first with words, and then with her body.

When his back bumped against the only partially submerged stone deep enough to stop his retreat, it was already too late.

"Maybe it's not really fair of me to say that, in a situation like this." She admitted. "But, I just want, no, I _need _you to know, that whatever happens, whatever _has_ happened, that there will always be one person that will never, _ever _lose faith in you."

At last, Saeko allowed the distance between them to shift, in the form of her gently wrapping his arms against the dumbstruck Takashi and drawing him into a tender embrace, and pressing his head down against her shoulder.

They remained like this, utterly still before hesitantly, tentatively his arms rose from the water. They recoiled, at first, when they touched skin, but soon, his arms were wrapped around Saeko.

For a while, they kept their silence, quietly absorbed in the simple truth that to have another so willing to comfort, to understand them and not turn away, was perhaps what they'd wanted most of all.

Of course, all moments must pass, and it was not long before the stillness of the forest, the gentle trickling of the creak once more was overridden by the voices of those sheltered within.

"Ya know… all of a sudden it's really hard to ignore the fact that the ridiculously beautiful girl hugging me is just as naked as I am." Takashi remarked, before lifting his head to smirk back at the smiling Saeko.

"Hmm… that must be why something hot and stiff is pressed up against my stomach." Saeko purred. "But, more importantly… what do you intend to do about it?"

Her smile widened as, rather than _verbally _reply, the still smirking Takashi closed the distance, and she pursed her lips delightedly to greet his.

She couldn't help the whine of protest that slipped from her mouth as his lips _dodged_ hers, even less so than she could help how it turned into a moan, when instead he bit down gently on the tip of a pointed ear.

"Huh, so they are sensitive." Takashi said as his head retracted, giving the squirming Kunoichi a clinical look.

Then there were hands on his cheeks, and this time, he didn't try to deny her as Saeko pressed her lips against his.

It wasn't as rough or commanding as when she'd first kissed him, and it wasn't accompanied by the Charm of a Succubus.

After all, she didn't need it. Not with him, and not when he was all too eager to match her desire with his own.

Saeko shivered against him as his hands wandered their way down, tracing the firm muscles of her back and whispering along her spine before they found their intended destination. Her moan echoed through his mouth as his fingers sunk into the springy flesh of her ass.

She responded by releasing him with one hand to push the both of them away from the rock, giving her the space she needed to loop her legs around his hips.

It was his turn to growl in pleasure as Saeko used her legs to leverage herself just a little higher, an action that sent her body rubbing against his erection, now pinned between them.

With a mischievous little grin, she broke the kiss, dragging herself along his length as she put her hands on his shoulders to keep herself steady. Takashi knew exactly where she was going with this, but-

He still stiffened as something thin and flexible coiled around the base of his shaft, keeping it in place as the Kunoichi's body slid up and off of it.

They remained there for a moment as her tail uncoiled, her looking down on him as Takashi kept her steady with the water's help, and his firm grip on her backside.

Takashi met her smile with one of his own, and then pulled her back down.

Neither of them could keep their voices down when he hilted herself inside her in one smooth thrust. Saeko's tail shot out of the water, completely rigid as her legs tightened around Takashi.

Overwhelmed by the sensation, she didn't even give the panting Takashi a second to catch his breath before her lips crashed hungrily against his once more, arms wrapped around the back of his head to keep him trapped.

Not one to be outdone, Takashi returned the kiss with equal force, but when Saeko began to lift her hips, he stopped her motion almost immediately.

"H-huh?" She managed to ask dazedly, a trail of saliva connecting her to the grinning young man.

"Not here, I want my footing to be nice and stable for all the things I'm going to do to you."

Delightful as that sounded, she didn't want him to pull out, but when her leg lock tightened, Takashi just chuckled and gave her butt another appreciative squeeze.

Eyes alight, he began wading through the waters and towards the shore, still with Saeko impaled upon his shaft.

Saeko decided that they might as well both enjoy it, and as she began to rock her hips subtly, her hands began to roam across Takashi's broad back, lovingly exploring every inch with feather-like touches.

In the brief time it took for them to make it back to shore, Takashi's gaze had grown just as wild and lust-hazed as she was _feeling_, which brought a surge of feminine pride coursing through her.

Not even a day ago, she would have never imagined she'd have the chance to taste the pleasure that her entire species sought, not when the barest touch of a man would turn her stomach.

… Yesterday seemed so distant.

"Mind sitting down?" She asked, as the still standing Takashi looked expectantly at her. With a nod, Takashi complied, sitting down on the soft grass with his legs stretched out, and without a hint of strain at bearing her weight. Saeko unwrapped her legs from around his hips, curling them beneath her and pressing her thighs against him.

"Perfect." She chirped, rather enjoying the sensation of being in his lap, even as his rod was inside _her_. Even better, his lips were inches from hers and unoccupied, a situation that she immediately rectified.

Then, with a tense of her legs, Saeko lifted her hips, and this time, rather than stop her, Takashi gave her a squeeze to egg her on. Lifting herself required a different kind of tensing, as feeling _him _slide around inside her was so indescribably wonderful that she nearly lost it right there.

Then Takashi broke the kiss, and mercilessly crushed whatever shreds of rationality she had left.

"You don't have to be gentle with me, either."

Saeko slammed her hips back down, revelling in how he jerked and bucked in her arms. His wandering hands soon soon gripping her hips tightly, groaning and grunting as she rode him hard, smiling wickedly down at him.

The beast in him answered the beast in her, and it was Saeko's turn to scream as Takashi began thrusting up into her, using the brute strength in his arms to pump her up and down like a toy.

It didn't take long.

"T-Takashi I'm-!" She hissed.

"Yeah-!" He snarled back.

Her hips plunged down and his plunged up, and their howls of release tore through the still woods.

Saeko wrapped all five limbs around Takashi as they convulsed in sync, her tail extending to loop around them and pull them in even tighter as they bucked and writhed against one another.

Saeko tilted her head to the sky, trembling in ecstasy as the heat in her core spread through her body like wildfire, feeling Takashi suffuse every inch of her as their essense intertwined.

For a brief instant, they were completely, wholly one, the line between man and woman, Takashi and Saeko vanishing as his mana flooded her.

Then the sensation was gone, and rather than a sense of loss, Saeko's heart pounded rapidly- _in time with his- _as she realized she knew _exactly _how to find it again, and, judging by how hard he still was, well…

Takashi's hazy eyes snapped into focus with an intensity that nearly brought her to completion once more.

He lifted her once more, but not off him, just enough that he could get his legs underneath him.

Smiling delightedly, Saeko held on for the ride, egging him on with an inviting smile and gleaming eyes.

He placed her on her back, lifting her long legs into the air even as his dick pulsed needily inside her.

"Hope you're… flexible." He managed to grunt out, obviously having trouble keeping his thoughts in place.

Oh, he was going to get a little rough now, wasn't he?

_Wonderful._

Watching her closely with those beast-like eyes, Takashi slowly lifted her legs higher and higher with a firm grip behind her knees. In an arc they moved, until they were pressing down against her, folded against her until her toes were almost able to touch the ground _above _her head.

There, he stilled, just for a moment, and so she offered a small nod.

Then Takashi thrust into her once more, and a squeal blasted from Saeko's lips as she found quite suddenly that with her legs out of the way, he could thrust just a little _deeper_.

As her fingers tore into the soil beneath her, Takashi released his grip on her legs, only to press his shoulders against them instead, his hands slamming down to pin her by the wrists. Saeko curled her legs, forcing her calves against his back as his thrusting picked up speed.

It was only a single glance, but through the haze Takashi caught Saeko's gaze dip for only an instant, drifting towards his lips. Feeling release close in, Takashi dropped his body against hers, pressing Saeko's legs against her _own _shoulders as his lips crashed into hers.

Saeko screamed into him as he pierced her deeper than ever, legs straightening, and toes curling as Takashi drove her over the edge once more, and the spasmic tightening of her walls brought him to finish with another yell.

It took the last of his endurance to pull himself off of her, and as Saeko's legs dropped back onto the ground, Takashi just sat back, breath escaping in ragged pants and vision swimming.

He shivered with the sudden chill as his dick slid out of her, going limp at last.

Was it always this intense? His limbs felt… heavy. He wasn't used to _anything _feeling heavy.

Saeko rose from the ground and onto her haunches with a predatory gleam to her eyes, chest heaving and skin flushed.

When she caught his gaze, she stilled, watching him with concern.

"... I'm sorry."

"Huh? Listen… you're… gonna… make me feel… insecure… if you say that after…" Takashi managed to gasp.

Saeko giggled in spite of herself, but her smile was just a bit apologetic.

"The reason you're feeling so tired is me, I think." She began. "N-not just from what we were doing, but… you know how we talked about how I… you know, haven't been 'eating' properly?"

Takashi managed a nod.

"Well, I think it wasn't as noticeable with your Blessing at work, but I think I've been draining more of your mana than I normally would." Saeko winced. "If you think about it, I've basically been malnourished all this time, and now my body is probably overcompensating to get back to normal."

Takashi took another deep breath, feeling just about recovered enough to manage complete sentences.

He immediately took advantage.

"How are you this hot if you've spent the last ten years malnourished!?" Yeah, he'd wanted to ask that for a while.

Saeko stared incredulously at him for several seconds before the giggling started.

"That's what bothers you!? Oh Takashi, that's hilarious!" She laughed. "But... nevertheless, I really am sorry." Saeko said, suddenly serious. "Are sure you're okay?"

Intermingled with the concern in her eyes was a tiny glimmer of fear.

"Yeah… just a little worn-out is all. How about you? Kind of got a little excited there, I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, I'm alright… pretty sure this is why our trainers put so much effort into making sure we Kunoichi are flexible." Saeko suggested.

"... That makes a lot of sense, actually. Pretty sure you can be sneaky without being able to kick yourself in the face." Takashi chuckled.

"Hehe, right." Saeko said with a smile. "Though, I think that after this, it won't be nearly so demanding… that is…" She trailed off, looking at him hesitantly.

Couldn't be helped if she was still nervous, he supposed.

"Good!" She cringed a little at his outburst. "I mean, I'm pretty confident in my stamina normally, so you're gonna see one helluva pout if you run circles around me!" He declared smugly.

"Now I'm tempted… I bet you're cute when you sulk." Saeko smirked.

"You laugh now, but it's not gonna be nearly as funny when you have to spend the day carrying me." Takashi huffed with arms crossed and nose upturned. "I expect a princess carry, for the record."

"I'll do my utmost to live up to your expectations." With a hand over her heart, Saeko solemnly bowed her head.

Takashi looked at her.

Saeko looked at him.

Someone gave a little snort, and before they knew it, the sound of laughter filled the forest.

* * *

Wiping her eyes as the last of her snickers died down, Saeko rose to her feet.

She was about to step over to Takashi when he held up a hand.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but stay where you are."

Hesitantly, she did just that.

Her worries died a sudden death as Takashi's gaze roved briefly over her, with equal parts lust and admiration.

He knew all Yokai were pretty, but Saeko definitely belonged in a class of her own. Slender and supple, soft and inviting in all the right places, yet toned and powerful, with long limbs as strong as they were graceful.

Beauty and danger in equal parts, the perfect picture of the graceful female warrior.

Heightened all the more by the way her skin flushed and her breath came in low and husky, her nervousness at being so closely scrutinized impossible to maintain before the blatant admiration and honest desire in Takashi's gaze.

"Sorry, but I've spent most of the day trying not to stare, but since I've been inside you a few times, it seemed reasonable to take at least one good look." Takashi stated with a casual grin, meeting her eyes once more.

She'd never imagined that feeling _wanted _could feel this good!

"Mm, well, I've been checking you out in secret this whole time, so I suppose it's only fair." Saeko retorted, shifting her weight with one hand on her hip.

"Well I'm flattered. This might come as a shock, but living all alone on top of a big hill isn't the best environment to live in if you want your ego stroked on a consistent basis." Takashi remarked with mock-regret.

"No, I don't imagine so." Saeko snickered. "... It's funny, but I seem to remember we were coming down here to get cleaned up."

"Yeah, didn't do very good on that front, now did we?" With a twinkle of his eye and a conspiratorial wink, Takashi cupped one hand by his mouth and whispered; "But don't worry, I know where there's a creek nearby."

"Do you now?" Saeko giggled as she helped him to his feet, looping his arm over her shoulders to help support the tired young man. "You'll have to tell me all about it."

* * *

Near the foot of a great mountain range on a wide plateau, rested a shrine to the Goddess of Battle.

Had anyone wandered into its grounds, that day, they would have left doubting their own eyes.

Trying their best to determine if they were just seeing things, or if…

The smiling statue of the Goddess herself seemed just a little _smug_.

* * *

**That kind of sounded like an epilogue, but no, the story isn't nearly over. Though, I guess you could think of it as the epilogue to the intro?**

**This chapter ended up way longer than I initially intended, but that was mostly because I felt like there was a good opportunity for sexy times, and didn't want to leave it all vague or cliffhanger it after last chapter.**

**So merry Christmas, have some lewds.**

**There was… a lot of pauses used in this chapter, but that's because they were both winging it half the time. Hesitancy seemed… fair.**

**Okay, I'll stop.**

**Some backstory here or there, some vague hints, and some fluff and trauma. Kind of a normal chapter for me, isn't it?**

**And yes, Saya and Kohta are most certainly a thing. I kind of got the impression that they would have ended up together in canon if canon ever ended, but I'm writing the script here so they get to start out shipped. I'm sure you've noticed though, Kohta reveals himself to be an Incubus, but Saya doesn't give any hints one way or another? Well, tune in next time.**

**Maybe next time. Depends how busy the chapter is. They're introduced, but they're not going to be 'in the cast' for a while yet.**

**Anyways, hope you all enjoy, and have a good Christmas while you're at it.**


	3. Stirrings of A Sleeping Heart

**Here we have our third chapter, delivered just a bit faster than I expected.**

**Thanks to everyone who's read and enjoyed so far, now on with the show.**

* * *

Trained since birth, Saeko snapped from slumbering to alert in an instant, when a strange noise disturbed the stillness of the night.

She lifted her head from the broad, warm chest it had been resting against, now heaving beside her as Takashi twisted and turned in his sleep, eyes scrunched tight and teeth grit.

A nightmare?

Her first impulse was to wake him, to free him from the nightmare's grasp as quickly as possible, but…

Some deep-seated instinct whispered that doing so would cause more problems than it would solve.

Instead, she reached out with one hand to gently caress his cheek as Takashi flung the blankets away.

"Shh… it's alright Takashi… I'm here." She whispered gently as he groaned.

"No! … Don't! Stay back… stay…"

A single tear trickled down his cheek, and so she leaned over and kissed it away.

"Sleep… sleep… I'll still be here when you awake… I promise."

Like a puppet with its strings cut, Takashi went completely, utterly still.

Saeko breathed a sigh of relief as his breathing slowly turned back to normal.

She then found herself fighting to keep herself from giving voice to her surprise, as Takashi exploded into motion without warning.

Before she knew what was happening, he had pulled her on top of himself and pinned her in place with one arm around her back, the other weaving itself into her long tresses.

"S'alright… safe now." He murmured consolingly patting her gently on the back as his prisoner flushed crimson in the dark.

… Honestly, how unreasonable could he be?

He was the one just having a nightmare, she was the one who had just been comforting _him_, and yet…

She'd never felt so safe.

Once more, Saeko happily let herself be lulled to sleep by the slow, rhythmic beating of a strong heart.

* * *

Takashi awoke with a long, pleased yawn as sunlight began to peek through the shutters of tiny house's sole window.

Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Takashi felt the warm weight on his chest stir, and Saeko rose, sitting utop him as she stretched with a rather bouncy yawn.

… He was pretty sure she'd gone to sleep wearing more than one of those tiny black string thongs she seemed fond of, but not like he was going to complain about the view.

"Morning, beautiful." He smiled up at her.

"Good morning… how did you sleep?" Those smiling blue eyes were watching him rather intently, so Takashi immediately opened his mouth to reassure her that-

"I slept great." He responded with some surprise.

He felt… just great, and it had nothing to do with the almost naked beauty straddling him.

… Okay, so _that _part was more than a little untrue, but he really had slept well.

"... Did you now?"

"Yeah, I feel great. Can't remember the last time I slept this well, actually."

Takashi watched with no small amount of fascination as the Kunoichi's expression shifted from faint suspicion, through to surprise, before finally settling upon a shy but proud smile.

"Is that so? … That's great… I…" Saeko ducked her head, her bangs falling down to conceal her face.

At least they would have, had Takashi not been _beneath _her at the time.

Thus, he had a clear view of the pretty pink dusting her cheeks as she murmured; "I as well… it's been a long time since I was able to sleep so…"

"Yeah." Takashi agreed, smiling up at Saeko.

After a moment, she smiled back, and leaned down to kiss him gently on the lips.

"Now, we've got a long day ahead of us, so why don't we get moving before it gets any harder to remember what we're supposed to be doing?" She whispered, their faces inches apart.

"Heh, hope you remember, because I'm already having a hard time."

Saeko smile turned sultry as she sat up, subtly grinding her hips as she did so.

"Hmm, it seems that's not the only thing that's _hard _around here~"

"We're gonna be here all day if you keep that up." That was in no way a complaint.

… What were they doing again?

With a knowing smirk, Saeko swung her far leg off of Takashi in a motion much slower and more pronounced than strictly necessary, and moved off of him and onto the floor.

It wasn't exactly a long walk, from one corner of the single roomed hut to the other, where her small backpack leaned against the wall.

But she couldn't deny feeling a little thrill as Takashi watched her every step.

Today was shaping up to be a wonderful day, even if they had one last hurdle before them before they left.

* * *

Takashi took a deep breath as he stepped towards the village, which was just starting to rouse itself in the early morning.

Saeko entwined a hand into his own as he stopped for just a brief instant, upon spying the first of his erstwhile neighbors, drawing water from the well between the village and the hill he lived upon.

Fortunately, the woman at the well was precisely one of the people he was looking for.

Unfortunately, the woman at the well was precisely one of the people he was looking for.

"Wish me luck." He murmured, and Saeko gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as she smiled comfortingly towards him.

Slipping from her grasp with great reluctance, Takashi stepped forward.

* * *

Hayashi Kyoko was well-accustomed to the fact that young Takashi would often not be seen in, or near, the village for several days on end.

The quiet young man needed more space and solitude than most, and despite his at times absent-minded demeanor, was more than capable of taking care of himself.

And the entire village, as several Yokai this spring alone could attest to.

That, nor a single one of his many other admirable characteristics in any way caused her, or any of the other adults in the village to worry about him less.

Nor did it in any way prepare her for the sight of him wandering into the village less than an hour past dawn, running a sheepish hand through his perpetually messy hair (that no amount of fussing could tame), with a Veiled Yokai trailing timidly behind him.

Still, he at least knew he was doing _something _wrong, as the boy gave a nervous laugh and shuffled to an awkward halt, thus, she swept her gaze across the backpacks and weapons they were _both _carrying, and then merely stared him in the eye with one brow arched.

"W-well, you see Mrs. Hayashi, funny story, but…"

"Oh? A story, is it?" She began neutrally, as the other villagers began to take note of what was occurring and curiously began to gather around the village edge. "And how much does the young Yokai here factor into it?"

Both of them froze guiltily, and Takashi's guilty eyes jerked back towards the young woman, confirming her suspicions.

… If those suspicions had _needed _the extra evidence, that is.

"How did… yeah, okay, she's a Yokai." Takashi huffed, giving up any attempts at falsehood almost immediately.

Which was for the best, it would save everyone time.

"Explain."

It wasn't a request.

"Do you want the long version or the short version?" Takashi began tentatively.

"That depends." Kyoko replied with a sweet smile. "Are you asking that because you're not sure which version will make me angrier?"

Takashi winced.

A hearty, booming laugh cut them off as her husband came strolling out of the small crowd, that big (lovable) grin on his face as he sauntered along with those carefree, mile long strides of his.

"Aw, c'mon now Kyo, you're not gonna get any answers if you scare the poor kid half to death!" He boomed cheerfully. "Morning kid, you and your pretty little girlfriend finally heading out?"

Knowing chuckles and grins were shared among those gathered, as her husband strolled right up to her and calmly pulled her against him with one beefy arm around her narrow waist.

… What a wonderful man she'd married… she had come on a bit… stronger than intended, and here was her husband to banish the mounting tension with a single laugh.

"... Err… why do you make it sound like everyone already knew?" Takashi couldn't help but blurt out.

… The young miss behind him clearly understood, if that hint of redness was anything to go by.

"... That pool you favor is not as far from the village as you seem to think, nor is the forest thick enough to keep _every _sound contained." Kyoko pointed out delicately, covering her growing smile with a demure hand.

… _She _had learned that the hard way once as well, when she was younger.

Much less subtly, her husband through his head back with another booming laugh that echoed equally through both their joined bodies.

"... Err… that is… it's- I don't know what you're… sorry?" Blushing furiously, Takashi stammered out a knee-jerk apology and looked away awkwardly.

The Yokai ducked her head and shuffled subtly in behind him to use the slightly taller young man as a shield.

… They were adorable together, weren't they?

Now… to find out how _honest _of a relationship this was… before she got back to the important things.

Like how adorable they-

Coughing both to get the young couples attention, and clear her own head, Kyoko set a firm gaze upon Takashi, who had by now recovered his wits.

"I imagine you have plans for the day, so we'll make this quick." She began. "Takashi, are you in love with that girl there?"

They both flinched, sputtering, and Takashi opened his mouth to-

He went still, frowning, and the Yokai stepped forward and away, beside him, but not pressed against him.

Silently, everyone, Yokai included, watched him carefully as he frowned in confusion.

Eventually, with an apologetic glance to the young woman beside him, Takashi turned to look her dead in the eye.

"I don't know." Was all he said.

"Ah, well that's good." She responded with a relieved sigh.

Admittedly, she had to fight down the urge to pinch his cheeks at the awkward expression he made when the tension drained itself from adult present in one collective motion.

With that delightful chuckle of his, her darling took pity on the bewildered boy and filled him in.

"What Kyo means, Takashi, is that if your little friend there was seeking your affection in… more forceful ways, there's no way you'd still be puzzling your feelings out." Gently, her husband spoke, before grinning widely once again and winking. "_Especially_ if all the noise you two made yesterday means what I think it means."

"A Yokai who attempts to woo a man in an honest fashion is much rarer than it should be… even in our lands, where the lack of Order presence allows them to do so far more freely than their sisters across the sea." Kyoko chimed in.

The young Yokai winced apologetically.

It wasn't entirely her fault, nor could any of her sisters be easily blamed…

From the most placid of Holistaur to the fiercest of Oni, all Yokai were predators by their very nature… each and everyone of them had both the gifts and the _nature_ of the Succubi weaved into their very being.

It was simply a part of their nature to seduce and claim whatever man caught their fancy, and why bother with a long, drawn-out courtship when it was much simpler to pin down and violate the weaker human, working your magic in both the figurative and literal sense?

After all, the mana of a Yokai all but insured that their man would come to love them _eventually_, if they exchanged enough of it, so did it really matter if they were a little bit forceful to begin with?

Too often, the answer the Yokai would come to was 'no', if she considered it at all. Poor impulse control was another trait that many breeds held in common.

With that in mind Kyoko had already decided she liked this young Yokai before her, even if there was something just a little… off about the young woman that she could not quite place.

"Goodness me, where are my manners?" She said warmly, stepping forward and offering a polite bow in the young woman's direction. "Hayashi Kyoko, at your service."

"Hayashi Teshima, good to meet you little Miss!" Her husband declared, much less formally.

"Ah… excuse me. Busujima Saeko, it's an honor to meet you." The Yokai, Busujima recovered admirably from her surprise, and bowed low.

One hand on the pommel of the katana at her side as she did so, making it obvious that it was rather accustomed to being belted there.

Not an Ochimusha, despite having a similar demeanor, as a pulse was hard to fake, but the Veil wasn't _that _complex, so…

No, it wasn't important.

… Ah, poor Takashi seemed to be rather out of sorts.

"... This is going a lot… smoother than I imagined." He said eventually, his disbelief clear.

"Is that so? It's not as if we have anything _against _Yokai." Kyoko clarified. "That is, as long as they _mind their manners_, and this young lady has been rather polite."

"Hey now, we keep putting off the good stuff!" Teshima boomed with a grin. "We haven't got to hear the story of how you two met!"

He was far from the only one getting impatient in that regard, as the clamor suggested, but Takashi went so red her hands jerked in his direction of their own accord to catch him if he fell, while Busujima's eyes lit up, and a positively radiant smile bloomed across the lovely girl's face.

Then she caught herself, and shuffled just as awkwardly as the crowd laughed.

"What, you two get into a big old brawl that ended in a steamy make-out session?" Teshima joked.

He was left to blink in surprise as the blushes deepened.

One eyebrow raised, Teshima leaned forward to whisper in his wife's ear. "What are the chances, huh? Think they ended up at…?"

Fighting back her own blush, Kyoko covered her hand to mask her own coughing fit.

Grinning, Teshima straightened up and asked; "Well, the details ain't important." He blatantly backtracked. "We've burned enough daylight as it is, you kids should hit the road."

"Whatever you're planning to do…" Kyoko began, recovering. "Be careful, please."

She wouldn't ask if they were planning to do something dangerous… nothing would change if she did, and she'd much rather _pretend _ignorance, if only to lessen her worries a tiny bit.

"Yeah." Takashi responded after a moment.

It was then that a long yawn was heard, and young Morita wandered his way through the crowd.

"What's got everyone all worked up so early- oh, this is when you're leaving." He said upon seeing Takashi, his tone unchanging.

"Yeah, it's- huh?" Takashi trailed off in surprise.

Not fully awake, it seemed, Morita waved one hand dismissively.

"Bound to happen sooner or later… village is way too small for someone like you."

"Err… you're taking this really well." Takashi pointed out hesitantly.

"Give me an hour and I'll probably-" Another yawn. "-Freak out a little. Should probably head out before then." Ambling forward, the young blonde stuck out his fist.

"Later, dude."

Rolling his eyes, Takashi bumped his own against it. "Yeah, catch you later."

Taking her cue as the sleepy blonde wandered off once again, Kyoko stepped forward and flung her arms around Takashi's shoulders, drawing him into a tight embrace.

"Just remember, you'll always have a home here, no matter what." She whispered fiercely in his ear, voice just a little thick as he returned the hug.

Releasing him with a shaky smile, she turned and did the same to the Yokai, who stiffened immediately, but didn't try to pull away.

"Both of you." She clarified, knowing the young woman had heard.

Busujima flinched in her grasp, before awkwardly returning the embrace.

"T-thank you."

"Take good care of him, alright?"

"I promise." A much firmer response, this time.

She released the girl then and stepped aside, a strained giggle passing her lips as Teshima stepped forward and merely swept both the youngsters up at once.

The other stepped forward then to wish the young couple luck or push small gifts for the road into their hands, until at last-

"Well, see you when I see you." Perhaps not wanting to worry them any more, Takashi set off with a carefree wave and a firm stride, his quiet companion offering one last bow before following along at his heels.

She watched them as they crested the hill, and disappeared from sight.

A strong arm looped around her shoulders, and an understanding smile stretched across her husband's face as he stared towards where the young couple had vanished.

"There, there… you did good, Kyo."

* * *

It was almost an hour before Takashi faltered in his stride, staring awkwardly back the way they came.

"What is it?" Saeko asked quietly, turning back to scrutinize his features closely.

"... Nothing, it's just… ya know… I've always dealt with any of the rowdier sorts that wander thataway… hope they'll be okay without me."

"I'm sure they'll manage." She said confidently.

… It was surprising that he hadn't noticed, honestly, though she supposed that was likely intended.

She could easily imagine Takashi stepping forward without a second thought, whenever danger threatened, and the rumors could confirm as much.

… She couldn't help but wonder what the answer would be, had Takashi ever stopped to ask if such intervention was _necessary_.

"... Though… I'm sorry, Takashi." Saeko said rather abruptly, not meeting his eyes. "It's true that I haven't been using my power on you, since we've… been together. But I _have _used it on you, when we fought-"

"Yeah I know."

"-You see, when- pardon me? I don't believe I heard you correctly." Saeko's head whipped towards him as his words sunk in.

Takashi nodded amicably. "I mean, my last clear memory of the fight is you kissing me, so I can kind of guess." He said. "That being said, was it really on purpose?"

"No, of course not!" Saeko hastened to assure. "I just, well you see, my mana dropped a bit too far, and I-"

"Your body realized it was starving and you lost control?" Takashi finished.

"... Yes."

"No hard feelings, considering how things ended up, you being the only one to blame for a lapse of control would be kinda unfair, don't ya think?"

Unlike Takashi, Saeko remembered their first night together rather _vividly_, and was left to blush hotly as the memory of 'how things ended up' immediately sprung to mind.

She was still working up the courage to admit that she may have liked having his hand around her neck… just a little.

"But, you know, I'm sorry too… about what I said, you know, when they asked me if…" Takashi trailed off hesitantly.

Saeko had told him that she... while he wouldn't deny there were feelings there, _strong _feelings, Takashi didn't quite understand them just yet.

Or maybe, he was just a little afraid of 'that' word.

After a moment of silence (to fight down a pleasant fantasy or two and marshall her thoughts) Saeko shook her head, the motion making her long ponytail whip to and fro.

"Don't apologize." She smiled. "I think we can both agree that our meeting was more than a little… chaotic. To be honest, I'm still trying to make sense of the last few days in some ways."

Takashi nearly bumped into her as Saeko came to a sudden halt, staring up into the sky without looking his way.

"... But I do know that I meant every word, and that these feelings of mine are as real as they can be." Saeko tilted her gaze back towards him, a bewitching smirk accompanied by smoldering, heavy-lidded eyes. "And if you haven't figured out your own feelings, well…"

She reached back to trace one long finger against Takashi's jaw line as she sauntered away.

"I hope you don't mind if I take it as a _challenge._"

It wasn't the first time Takashi stopped what he was doing, just to watch her walk.

Somehow, he doubted it would be the last.

* * *

"For the record, this is definitely my fault."

"How so?"

"I was just thinking that today had been awfully quiet, all things considered."

"... Ah, then yes, this is absolutely your fault. You should tempt fate like that more often, Takashi."

"I think you used that phrase wrong."

"I know what I said."

The massive tree that had collapsed in front of the trail was in no way a serious obstacle.

The _cause _of the blatantly sudden deadfall might have been a different manner, but..

Takashi, for his part, hadn't moved, because he thought it would be less of a pain to just smash through whatever ambush was about to occur.

Saeko, for her part, had already caught wind of the Yokai who had set her sights on them, and had determined that attempting to deny her would certainly lead to a fight.

This meant, of course, that she and Takashi would be forced to fight side by side, and by the Maou was that making her wet.

She tried to keep the eagerness out of her movements, and the heat from her cheeks as they both discarded their packs.

"A fine piece of man-meat like this, and you haven't even marked it? What a damned waste, _little girl_."

In the wake of that derisive, booming voice, a massive Red Oni swaggered out of the treeline with one hand on her hip, and the other on the leather wrapped handle of a solid silver war club.

A fierce mane of snowy white hair brought vivid contrast to her cherry red skin, which was almost entirely on display. Perky, loosely wrapped breasts larger than a man's head bounced and swayed with every step (but didn't sag, even a little, because she was a Yokai).

Her only other clothing was a narrow white loincloth tied with red rope, from which a clay gourd dangled, and white wrappings around all four limbs, cutting short just before elbow or knee, respectively.

Corded muscle rippled in every thick limb, and a tight six pack on prominent display brought to mind a granite statue wrapped tightly in something soft, like velvet or silk.

… Well, keeping his gaze innocent would be a lot more difficult if Saeko didn't exist, Takashi had to admit.

With how strong he was, being around anyone delicate made Takashi just a little nervous, but…. this Oni, though? Takashi couldn't help but smile, because he knew he didn't have to _pull any punches._

… No wonder he and Saeko got along, and-

Out of the corner of his eye, Takashi froze as he caught sight of Saeko's expression,

"Scared, little girl? Why don't you skulk on off and leave the toy to a real woman?" Of course, the Oni hadn't slowed down, and now she was right in front of them, sneering down towards the smaller pair.

The Oni gave a dismissive snort as she bent at the waist, putting herself at roughly eye level to the unresponsive Kunoichi.

"Well? I'm talking to you-" The Oni threw her head back violently as an arc of silver swept the space where her eyes had been a second earlier.

"Oh, my apologies, did you still need those?" Saeko inquired politely, a demure smile on her face and an ominously glinting sword in her hands. "I don't mean to cause any inconvenience, so I'll just cut off something else."

As both man and Oni stared at her in utter disbelief, Takashi dryly gave voice to what he was currently feeling.

"I am equally aroused and intimidated, and I'm not sure how that makes me feel."

Two pretty faces turned his way, but all he could do was shrug.

Saeko's eyes were twinkling with mirth (mission accomplished), and the Oni, after a second, seemed to realize that neither of those emotions had been inspired by her.

The response was, well… predictable.

* * *

Saeko ducked low as a studded metal gale swept through the space she'd been standing, twisting her head as she did so, suddenly realizing that she-

Needn't have worried about Takashi.

Grinning, Takashi met the one-handed swing of the Oni with a two-handed swing of his own.

She had just enough time to drop her sword (catching it with her tail), and clamp her hands over both ears as Titan met the larger kanabo with an ear-splitting crash.

Both Human and Oni reeled from the impact and the noise, but the Oni seemed the worse off of the two, her hearing being far more sensitive than Takashi's.

Even still, her ears were also ringing slightly as Saeko returned her sword to her hands and stepped in, lashing out in a series of slices that filled the air with cherry colored mana.

Saeko danced away as the Oni kicked out in retaliation, slamming her kanabo tip first into dirt in the same motion, both to block Takashi's next swing and to regain balance.

Undeterred, Takashi whirled Titan and brought it up in a sweeping underhand strike. The Oni backstepped, eyes widening as the wind pressure sent her hair whipping away.

That second of shock cost the Oni, as Saeko slid the edge of her katana along a thick hamstring and twirled back to the front.

That was the convenient thing about Demon Realm Silver, it might cut spirit rather than flesh, but the spirit imitated the flesh in form; a strike aimed to cripple would do just that.

Not permanently though, the Oni would be fine when her mana recovered… and woke up from what Saeko was about to do to her.

As the Oni's stricken knee buckled, Titan hooked in beneath the other and tugged it out from beneath her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Saeko caught Takashi's open-mouthed shock as she coiled like a spring and pounced, rocketing through the air and slamming blade first into the toppling Yokai.

The Oni cried out as the nimble Kunoichi rode her into the dirt, mana gushing into the air as the point of her katana buried itself between the valley of her breasts, just above her chest wrappings.

Saeko rose to her feet, standing on the Oni's stomach, but released her stuck blade as the Oni reached for it with a groggy moan.

Instead, Saeko lifted one long leg and stomped hard on the pommel of her sword, shivering in delight as her body naturally siphoned off some of the mana washing over her, in one final plume of wispy red.

Leaning on her raised knee, Saeko watched with a gentle smile as the Oni shuddered once and went limp, too deprived of mana to remain conscious.

After a moment, she pulled her sword free and stepped off the still body, sheathing her sword as she did, and turning to find-

Takashi staring mutely at her with open-mouthed shock.

Her smile fell as Saeko went still, suddenly self-conscious.

She had gotten a little… worked up, in that fight. A sliver of dread crept up her spine as Takashi blinked slowly and closed his mouth, bracing herself for that flash of fear, that glimmer of disgust as yet another-

No! This was Takashi, he wouldn't- _but she hadn't told him everything now had she?_

"Damn." Takashi managed to get out, his mouth dry. "I'm glad I fought you in the dark."

"... Huh?" The dark, what did he mean by that?

"You're even hotter than I thought when you fight."

"... Huh?" He thought she was...

"Maybe next time I'll just sit and admire."

"... Huh?" He liked watching her...

"... Saeko, are you okay? You didn't get hurt-"

Takashi's words gave way to a startled yelp, one that disappeared down Saeko's throat as this time she rode _him _into the dirt, mashing their lips together as she bore him to the ground.

It took several seconds of Saeko's tongue rampaging around inside his mouth, and her warm body pressing his into the dirt for Takashi to regain some semblance of awareness, and start kissing back.

As his arms wrapped around Saeko's back to pull her in closer, Saeko moaned into his mouth when her soft breasts molded against his much rockier chest.

He had no idea why she'd seemed so nervous, for a second there, but-

Guess he'd said something right.

* * *

From behind, he heard that telltale, almost shy whisper of scale across wood. With a delighted gasp, he whirled to face the source of the noise, eyes bright and arms open wide.

"Oh! There you are, my love! I didn't expect you to return so soon, what a wonderful surprise!" He exclaimed, even as he beckoned her forward.

"My lord!" The reluctance from the young woman's posture evaporated in an instant as she slithered forward in a rush, turning her head to lay against his chest as she all but flung himself into his embrace.

One hand came to rest on the woman's head, patting her gently as the other wrapped itself fondly around her waist.

"Mm… I missed you, Shido." She murmured happily as his long fingers wove themselves through her bone-white hair.

"I as well, Taniuchi, these halls always seem a little darker without you." Shido whispered in return.

He felt the flinch of her tail as it brushed against his legs, but when she looked up at him with a glance both guilty and pleading, Shido offered an indulgent chuckle and a nod.

With a pleased gasp, Taniuchi immediately took advantage of his most gracious allowance, in the form of entwining within the full length of the white-scaled, serpentine tail that made up the lower half of a Shirohebi's body.

Sometimes referred to as the White Serpent in Order lands, the Shirohebi were a breed of albino Lamia native to Zipangu, serpentine shrine maidens with power of water, who often served as handmaidens to the mighty Ryu.

Knowing what came next, Shido closed his eyes for a brief instant, sweeping the immediate vicinity with a simple spell.

After a moment, Taniuchi lifted her head once more, and, blushing and fidgeting as she did, whispered. "S-so it w-went as you wanted, Lord Shido… the Danuki matron wanted me to pass on that she's looking forward to a long, profitable relationship, and…"

A rich chuckle filled the air as he caught onto words unsaid. "And she also propositioned me, likely in a fashion that polite society might consider more than a little improper?"

The coils tightened as the Shirohebi let out a sulky huff.

"Now, now, my love. My heart is already overflowing with the love I bear for the three of you, you'll hurt my feelings if you doubt that."

"Ah! I didn't mean… forgive me, I just… d-don't like her very much. Even if you're not interested, having such a crude woman set her sights on you is…"

"Mm, it's simply wonderful to hear how protective you are of me… I feel like I'm falling in love with you all over again."

Shido smiled as Taniuchi gave a pleased shudder.

"I'm so happy… u-um" Another fidget as he watched her patiently. "… D-did I do well?"

"Of course you did… not that there was any doubt."

"...Ah." An almost euphoric sigh drifted from the serpents pale lips.

"Now, my love, I have matters to attend to." The coils tightened, even as her arms loosened their grip and her expression fell. "Ah ah, don't let me see such a distressing expression, I've already freed the rest of my night to enjoy the company of my sweet little serpent, but this one can't wait."

"The rest of the night!? Really!? W-will it-" She snapped her mouth shut, flushing guiltily.

"Just you and I, my darling Taniuchi." He crooned.

"Oh… that's…" A radiant smile bloomed across the woman's face as a dusting of pink graced her pale cheeks.

_How disgusting._

"I'll finish up as quickly as I can, so why don't you take the chance to freshen up a little, and await me in my chambers?"

"Y-yes! Of course!" Taniuchi chirped happily.

After a moment, Shido allowed an exasperated chuckle slip from his lips.

"I'm just as eager as you are, but you really do need to let me go, just for a little while."

"Oh! Excuse me…" The coils loosened and receded reluctantly, but as they did, Taniuchi pressed her chest against his, allowing a glimpse of pale, soft cleavage as her kimono ruffled.

Another pause, before Shido smiled once more.

"Mm, yes, I do believe you'll enjoy your reward more if I offer just a little taste~"

With that said, he gently caught her chin with one hand, tilted it upwards, and-

His eyes flashed golden, illuminating her blood red orbs as he stepped away, spinning on his heel without a word.

Rather than protest the sudden loss of contact, Taniuchi shivered along the full length of her serpentine trunk and moaned in delight, red eyes glazed over with desire.

"Ah~ n-not there, I'm s-s-sensitive-" Another breathy groan escaped from pale lips as the Shirohebi wriggled in ecstasy.

Without a single backwards glance, Shido left her to whatever pleasant fantasy he'd ensnared her with this time.

As he walked, he loosened the collar of his dark black kimono.

Curses… it seemed he'd need to take a _genuine _role in the snake's reward, tonight.

Unpleasant as it was, the needs of an Incubus such as himself could only be denied for so long.

* * *

The breath whooshed from her lungs as her back struck the earth, her heavy broadsword clattering to the ground well out of claw's reach.

In spite of the sharp spear point now hovering inches from her heaving breast, a grin crinkled her tanned cheeks as she lay there gasping, and the flames of her reptilian tail burned as brightly as ever.

"Ah, Maou, if you were a guy I'd definitely have your babies."

"How flattering." Came the dry retort from the lovely Hero that had bested her.

"Have to say." She gasped, drawing another deep breath. "It's a pity I had all the fun."

"... What makes you say that?"

"Your expression didn't change… even once. Shame, that, you'd be much prettier if you smiled."

The spear retracted as the Hero gave a sigh.

"I don't want to hear that from a Salamander who solves every problem by fighting or fucking it."

The Salamander gave a boisterous laugh, her breath recovered but her body still enjoying the cool dirt.

"Move on now, once you've recovered." The Hero instructed.

"Yeah, yeah, you won so I'll obey." The Salamander replied casually. "You know, I don't normally sleep with girls, but you _did _win, after all, so…"

The Hero turned on her heel and left without another word, long, orangish-brown hair swaying in the breeze.

Staring up at the sky, the Salamander sighed in resignation.

"Damn… poor girl looked like she could use the company."

* * *

**You know you're a 'don't sweat the small stuff' kinda girl when you offer to keep the woman who kicked your ass company, just because she looks a little lonely.**

**Guessing who the Hero was shouldn't be all that hard, I imagine, so you can consider that another character teaser if you'd like.**

**Now we actually have Shido and his little following, and yeah, I once again feel dirty writing that. Take someone with the manipulative ability to form his own little cult during a zombie apocalypse, and then turn him into an Incubus with a supernatural charisma boost and fucking magic, and that's what we're dealing with here.**

**Gross.**

**On a side note, there's a few different characters from HOTD that only have what's assumedly their family name given. For example the gym teacher that got wrecked in episode 1 is Teshima, but I don't think that's his given name, which is why he gets the surname of the milfy teacher instead.**

**The milfy teacher who's totally normal, by the way. Totes normal.**

**Don't look at me like that.**

**And yes, Takashi and Saeko did make out right beside the unconscious Oni that they definitely forgot about, and later, Morita did react in a suitably dramatic fashion to Takashi leaving the village with a hot monster girl.**


	4. As the Ledge Crumbles

**The following is filled with nothing bad happening. Viewer discretion not advised?**

* * *

It had been two days since they'd left his village.

The forest had been dense, dimly lit and quiet. Hadn't seen anything but animals since they'd tangled with that Red Oni.

It was… nice.

Takashi couldn't really describe it any other way. It was peaceful, he was getting some good exercise in _without _having to get violent, the company was good, and he would have to admit, he was a big fan of the scenery.

… The forest was pretty too.

It's just that the forest didn't always seem to end up walking a few paces ahead of him, nor did the forest have mile long legs that it seemed to enjoy showing off as it walked.

Essentially, the forest wasn't Saeko.

It had been fascinating to watch her, these past few days, and not just because of how attractive she was.

It was like each step was just a little lighter, each step she took freed a little more of that unseen weight from her shoulders. That subtle twinkle in her eye never seemed to leave, and that blank mask she seemed to wear had given way to just the barest hint of a smile.

Honestly, that was probably a big part of why _his_ mood was so good.

That, and apparently miracles really were a thing, because she just seemed to keep getting hotter.

Saeko today was wearing an outfit similar to the one she'd worn when they'd first met, though her kimono style vest was a deep blue rather than purple, matching her slitted skirt that fell to about mid-thigh. She'd kept the scarf though, and he kind of liked how it formed a window of sorts when combined with the plunging neckline of her top, and how most of the time she used it to hide her face when she couldn't control her expressions.

She'd ditched the thigh-high leggings and reinforced tabi for ankle-high, open toed boots, which left her legs more or less bare.

And that was a lot of leg to leave bare, and was it just him were those strings on her hips the strings from her underwear?

It had been kinda cute how she seemed just a little smug when she'd informed him that she didn't own pants, just like it was kinda cute how the way her eyes sparkled told you when she was laughing on the inside.

Or how nice her laughter sounded when it did escape, such as now, when she realized he'd once again stopped walking in favor of watching _her_ walk.

… Totally worth it.

* * *

It had been three days since they'd left Takashi's village.

The dense forest had stymied her at every turn, so far, but this, this was perfect.

"Takashi?" Saeko murmured, her head ducked to allow her bangs to conceal her face.

"... Yeah, Saeko? … Hey, what's wrong?"

"I've been patient, haven't I?" She said, as her hips wriggled.

"... Sure? About what?"

"... Please? … There's plenty of space, and it's not like anyone will see us."

Well, the phrasing was a little weird, but if she was squirming like that, then it probably meant she wanted them to...

* * *

They hadn't been on the same page at all, Takashi mused, leaning out of the flight path of Saeko's blade.

But if sparring could make her happy, then why not?

Practicing when they could was a good idea to begin with, and she'd been smiling pretty much the whole time, so it was a win in his book.

Saeko ducked sharply under his return swing, but rather than follow up, he was forced to leap hastily back as Saeko twisted away during her duck, scything her heel towards his legs.

Saeko flowed smoothly back to her feet, setting herself and lunging forward.

Her katana's blade shrieked against Titan's length as she thrust sharply at her grinning lover, and-

A sudden noise, shockingly loud within the quiet woods, halted their fight, startled gazes simultaneously snapping towards the direction of the disturbance.

Takashi was already in motion before his mind could even process the sound.

* * *

Fun.

This was so much fun, being able to swing her blade without guilt, without remorse.

Ah, sparring with Takashi was so much fun, she could tell that just like her, Takashi didn't often get to practice, most likely because there had never been anyone to practice _with_.

But no longer, he wasn't alone anymore, and neither was she!

'_Show me more! Show me what you can do, Takashi!'_

Ah, how-

The heavy fluttering of wings echoed out with surprising volume, their clash having awoken some large bird that must have been slumbering within the branches nearby.

The sneaky boy took advantage of the distraction, recovering first and catching her wholly unprepared for his next move.

\- He was suddenly between her and the source of the noise, with his back turned and Titan gripped two-handed as its silvery shaft rested against his shoulder in his usual combat stance.

Feet shoulder-width apart, but turned slightly away from the direction he faced in readiness to swing…

Even as his hands shook and his breath came in harsh, ragged pants.

"... Takashi?"

After a split second delay, vacant eyes with dilated pupils snapped back towards the sound of her voice, and Saeko flinched as she found herself confronted by the wild gaze of a cornered animal.

Neither of them made any moves for a moment, her mind racing as Saeko tried in vain to understand what had set Takashi off, and Takashi, for his part-

Several slow, rapid blinks as his shoulders slumped, and his white-knuckled grip on Titan loosened.

"... Huh? Saeko, what…?"

Slowly, Takashi shook his head as if to clear away his confusion.

When his head turned back, he stiffened guiltily, before scratching his head with an awkward laugh.

"Oops. Just a bird, that startled me haha…"

She didn't know what she was supposed to say. It wasn't as if Takashi was jumpy, an entire tree being felled in their path hadn't even made him flinch. People sometimes carried with them irrational fears that could not be easily explained, but a full fight or flight response seemed to much, even in the unlikely event that Takashi was afraid of birds.

It wasn't as if the owl was anywhere near them, perhaps if it had swooped overhead she could understand, but it being startled out of a distant tree had almost been enough to trigger Berserker.

More importantly, she didn't know how to respond. Should she ask if he's okay, or would that seem shallow when he clearly wasn't? Should she ask for an explanation, and if he didn't want to offer one, should she insist? If she should insist, how hard should she push?

Or, perhaps she should just pretend not to have noticed, play it off as a bit of nerves and look no deeper? Or would he just think she was trying to ignore his problems?

She didn't know what to say, how to make that thinly veiled panic disappear.

So in the end, she was once more caught off guard by sudden movement.

This time, her own.

Saeko blinked in confusion at the sudden realization that at some point in the last several seconds, she'd reached out and pulled Takashi in, pulling his head down to press his cheek against her chest.

They were silent for several seconds, neither quite sure what to say.

"... Forgive me, Takashi." She whispered.

"... Huh?"

"I… I don't know what to say." She admitted. "But I just want, no, I _need _you to know that whatever is bothering you, when, or if you're ready to talk about it, it won't change how I feel about you in the least."

No, she did understand why she'd moved to embrace him.

After that surge of instinctive, almost primal terror had come guilt, guilt and a fear filled with quite a bit more _awareness _to it.

The fear of discovery, of your secret shame being brought to light, was one she easily recognized, since she too was plagued by it day in and day out as well.

She just wanted Takashi to know that whatever he may be hiding from her, her feelings, her love for him would not change.

She would remind him as many times as it took, until he could believe it without question.

… She would keep to herself the hope that should _her _secrets come to light, Takashi would think the same.

* * *

… He was glad she hadn't pushed.

They'd just remained there in a silent embrace until his heartbeat had slowed to a more acceptable pace.

He hadn't really known what to say, how to explain it in a way that made sense.

Well, that wasn't entirely true, he knew _what _had caused him to react that way, but he didn't really understand the _why_.

Saya had been the first person he'd go to for anything like that, but… no replacement for her had been found, since one didn't exist.

So he wasn't really sure what to tell Saeko.

Oh, there was a Griffon involved in the day he ruined his life, and did something he could never, ever take back, so now the sound of feathery wingbeats triggers a panic attack?

Which doesn't really _seem _like a panic attack, since any negative emotion eventually turns into Berserker rage, and man, were they lucky it was just an owl, and not something actually interested in us because he might have killed them?

… She'd probably accept it all, actually. Just like she'd promised.

He wasn't sure why that idea bothered him so much.

* * *

With a pleased yawn, she lifted her head from off her sleeping husband's chest, arching her back in a long, luxurious stretch that made stiff muscles pop and twin, dark-furred tails swish.

Peering through the gap in the shutters, she noticed how dim the sky was, and concluded she'd woken up early.

Meaning she had a few minutes to savor the sight of her darling's sleeping face before she had to get up and start making breakfast.

The shutters blew open slightly, then, and the breeze carried with it a strange, sickly scent, as if something had been left out in the sun too long, and begun to rot.

… It reminded her how hungry she was, but luckily, a meal was close at hand.

Gently, a soft paw went to work, coaxing him to life, well… part of him anyways.

The rest of him had just started to stir when she lifted her hips off of him and then brought them back down, hissing in delight as she impaled herself upon him.

Then she was moving once more, wildly bucking her hips and purring in delight as he writhed and moaned beneath her, but even still, this was her husband, so even as she had her way with him, one of his calloused hands snaked up behind her, kneading that sweet spot just beneath her tail.

Ah, how wonderful it was, as he filled her, that surge of intoxicating warmth as he painted her insides with his seed, how their bodies, joined as they were, seemed to pulse with life as their heartbeats beat in unison.

It was so wonderful, and she wanted more, and it was _right _there, and it just felt so right when she leaned down and sank her teeth in, the life in his veins pulsing down her throat as he thrashed and-

… Delicious.

She hadn't realized how hungry she was, how delightful fresh meat could taste when you were practically starving, and oh, her husband had gone still all of a-

_Red._

_Everything was red... what had she done it felt so right what had she done she was so hungry what had she done what had she done-_

Something was screaming, so loudly and hysterically she was sure her pointed, furry ears would bleed.

Then the breeze brought with it that same delightful, mouthwatering scent once again, and, mercifully, all she could think of was how hungry she was.

* * *

Yokai were silly.

They were a silly race, made up entirely of silly women with silly thoughts.

She would know, after all, she was a Yokai herself.

Why else would it be that the idea of being stumbled across while they'd had sex, back at the stream, had only aroused her more, and yet here they were, walking hand in hand, and the idea of being seen like _that _was so utterly mortifying.

Perhaps because she had no idea what kind of face she was making right now, but her cheeks kind of hurt for some reason, and Takashi's hand was very warm.

Very warm.

There was no way she'd be able to release his hand.

Not when it was so very warm.

"... Someone's in a good mood."

Yokai were silly.

But Takashi's hand was very warm, and she rather liked that.

* * *

Miyamoto Rei stared listlessly at the faded wooden wall of the room she had rented at the inn, uncaring as the sun continued to inch its way below the horizon, and the shadows deepened.

She'd received a missive that morning, a direct request from her erstwhile superiors among the Order. It had been almost a week since Saya and Kohta had sent word of their 'findings', and yet rumor had it that they'd been spotted several days east of where they should have been.

Unfortunately for them, that brought them closer together and not farther apart.

Given the recently unearthed vault they'd been investigating, in the mountains south of Lescaitie, their sudden flight suggested that they'd found something, there in the mountains.

And given their deception, either they had reason to keep their findings concealed, or they had reason to keep the _consequences _of their findings concealed.

The missive had been optimistic, praying that they had simply found something that they believed should never see the light of day, and had fled with their unwitting burden in a panic.

That was why _she _was being sent, of course. Estranged though they were (and such a tragedy, what happened to young Takashi), they had been friends, once, and perhaps a familiar and sympathetic face would be what was needed to help bring them to their senses.

But, in the tragic event that what Saya and Kohta had found there in the vault had changed, or, Heaven forbid _corrupted_ them, then it was the Order's hope that she would free those poor lost souls from their burdens, and gently escort them back into the Light.

… She wished they'd skipped all the bullshit, and just honestly told her to go and kill her friends.

… Former friends, the wedge driven between them by Takashi's death had only been driven deeper as the years passed, and yet…

She still cared for them, in her own way.

Saya was not the type to run from her failures, she was the type to get angry and grind the memories of said failure into the dirt as she moved onto something bigger and better.

Kohta might _seem_ timid at times, but anyone who truly believed that timid nature to be his truest self was in for a rude awakening, and there were few more reassuring to have at your back.

So, she could safely ignore the page full of empty platitudes to settle on the real issue.

Either they had reason to believe that Saya and Kohta had been compromised, or they _wanted _that as an excuse.

Either way, they'd sent her after them, and-

Gods she was tired.

Her hands had started to shake once more, and so she did what she always did; called her spear to hand and tightly gripped the haft, letting the pressure she exerted distract and center her thoughts.

… That was what she told herself, anyways.

Seemed to help a little less every time she tried.

* * *

"Are we being robbed?" Saya asked.

"Looks that way, yeah." Kohta casually agreed.

"That was rhetorical, you dolt."

Anyone would draw the same conclusion, really, as the couple were currently surrounded on all sides by rough looking men with a motley assortment of blades and bludgeons.

The ones who weren't busy chuckling in what they assumed was a menacing fashion were busy eyeing up Saya like a piece of meat, licking their lips as their eyes roved across her curves.

Kohta could admit that it was a little hard to blame them for staring, since Saya was gorgeous. Fine-featured, and slender, Saya would almost seem doll-like if it weren't for her perpetually haughty expression, or the fact that she had some of the biggest boobs on any humans he'd seen.

Then she'd turned into a Mamono, and things had gotten just a little unfair to women everywhere.

Her style had changed a bit, since she'd turned, but it still held traces of the aristocratic heritage of hers that was on somewhat tenuous grounds, given who her parents were. Her pale pink hair was still done up high twin-tails, bound by a pair of red ribbons he'd gotten her for her first birthday after they'd started working as a team, and she still wore glasses.

Though, it had less to do with vision (since she didn't need the help anymore) and more because Kohta thought they looked cute on her.

Saya had also kept her fondness for lace, but it's incorporation was about the last thing preserved by her sense of style. Made of black satin and tied at the front with red lace, the choker she wore concealed almost the entirety of her slender neck.

Her dress was made of the same material, but unlike the conservative designs she'd used to prefer, the black collar of the shoulder piece bared both the top half, and a sizable swathe of the sides of her breasts, with a bodice that matched the color of her ribbons covering her tight waist. The black skirt was cut to resemble flower petals at its hem, and went to about her lower thigh, but appeared as if most of the front of the dress had been cut away in a triangular shape that went almost to the bottom of her navel.

Saya wasn't entirely comfortable with being that exposed, however, and had added a tight red miniskirt beneath it that had a matching hem, but still left a triangle of skin visible above its waistline. The only change in color for her outfit was the thin brown belt she wore across her hips, a sizable pouch resting on it at the back.

She also wasn't a fan of high-heels, their practicality on the road notwithstanding, and so completed the outfit with a pair of platform boots made with sturdy black leather. Her arms were covered by dark, formitting gloves that went to about mid-bicep.

She didn't carry an obvious weapon per say, but the hooked staff she carried, made of dark wood, was far sturdier than it appeared, should she need it.

Kohta too, still wore the glasses he didn't need, also because Saya liked them, and because just like hers, the inner section of the frames were home to several vision based enchantments she'd engraved there herself.

His clothing was a lot less ornate and a lot more practical since it included some actual armor, a sturdy green leather cuirass strapped over his black cotton jacket, matching his trousers. The hems of his pants fell over the tops of his ankle high travelling boots, and on his back was a hefty looking backpack that he carried with little trouble.

Whereas Saya was all slender curves, her lover was often described as being built like a barrel. Even with all the rigorous exercise the Monastery had put him through, Kohta's stomach still curved outwards a bit, and, if one didn't know what to look for, his thick limbs might have been considered soft.

His laidback, cheerful personality didn't help that, but anyone with the barest amount of combat training would be able to tell just how physically powerful Kohta was. He'd been the fourth strongest in their class, which didn't sound as impressive until it was pointed out that 3rd place was Takashi, 2nd place was Irritated Takashi, and 1st place was Pissed Off Takashi.

His weapon, still strapped alongside his backpack, was a sturdy looking crossbow, but the holster at his side was empty of any bolts, leaving him with, assumedly, just the dagger he had belted lengthwise across the back of his broad belt.

Something the bandits had eagerly taken note of, and they had just finished their spiel about how they'd graciously lighten his load by taking all of their stuff, as well as Saya, when Kohta had interrupted with a yawn.

Saya had been quiet, which meant Saya didn't think there was any sense getting both of them involved, and that she wouldn't be able to talk their way out of it. He agreed, and said as much when he cheerfully declared;

"Yeah, all of that sounds pretty good except for the part where it's all terrible, so instead of that, let's do this." At his casual declaration, Kohta unholstered Gjallarhorn, which released it from the enchantment that made it look the tiniest bit normal.

"... Boss, what the hell is that?" Kohta decided to take the interruption in stride, because yes, the crossbow that he and Saya had made together was _that_ cool.

Gjallarhorn, the 'that' which had just caused all of those rough and tough bandits to take one step back was more or less _shaped _like a crossbow. That was, if you ignored that both the wood and metal making up its structure were engraved with a spider web of crackling green runes, or that the string of the crossbow seemed to be made out of green light.

Or that it had a savage blade affixed to the body of the weapon, just in front of the foregrip, jutting out like some sort of tusk.

Or that the bolt now loaded onto the weapon looked more like a lightning bolt than a crossbow bolt, since it was made of mana and not a combination of steel and wood.

"This is Gjallarhorn. Gjallarhorn is a crossbow, kinda sorta mostly." Kohta cheerfully explained, a big, goofy grin on his face. "And I'm going to shoot you with it until you turn into decent people."

A slender, gloved hand turned his cheek back to meet Saya's playful orange eyes. "Kohta, Honey, I think that's a wonderful idea, and I'm _sure _they appreciate it."-And the glare she sent them had a few of the bandits nodding in spite of themselves- "But we just don't have that kind of time."

"... Good point." Kohta nodded as she lowered her hand, turning back to the bandits that had just realized that something wasn't quite right about this situation, and that his smile was anything but friendly. "New plan, I'm going to shoot you until it stops being funny."

"That's more like it." Saya smirked.

* * *

After the minute or so it took Kohta to deal with the riff raff and the ten minutes they'd spent walking since, Saya decided that they'd gained enough distance for the moment.

Without any sort of warning, she grabbed Kohta by the collar with both hands, pulling him towards her and lowering his head to a more suitable level.

After exploring his mouth with her tongue for a little bit, Saya released her lover, a speculative frown on her face.

"Yep, that settles it." She nodded decisively, before kissing Kohta again.

"It seems-" She said between breaks for air- "That watching you fight just keeps getting hotter-" She shuddered a bit as a pair of strong hands cupped her rear- "Now that I'm a monster."

"Mmh, sure Saya, whatever you say." Kohta murmured as he returned her affection.

"... Are you listening at all?" Saya turned her head away, which didn't do much other than switch Kohta's target to her neck rather than her lips.

Kohta paused for a moment with a small hum. "... Yep, just a little distracted by all this gorgeous in front of me."

"... You sap."

"Yep." Saya gasped as Kohta swooped back in, teeth tracing the curve of her neck.

"You know how I said we didn't have time?" Saya gasped.

Kohta murmured something that sounded affirmative against her neck.

"Well, I lied."

… They didn't get a lot of travel done after that.

* * *

Flat on his back, he gazed up at the stars, taking comfort in the warm, soft body entangled with his upon the bed roll.

"... Takashi?" Saeko spoke up suddenly, her breath tickling his bare chest.

"What's up?"

"We should talk." She began slowly. "About our destination, I mean."

"Guess so." He agreed. "Might be a little much just to get you released from service, so do you think he'll make his request reasonable or are we just gonna have to fight it out?"

"... Request? What do you mean?" Saeko lifted herself off of him, propping herself up on one elbow to meet his eyes.

"Well, can't help but think that losing you is gonna be a pretty big loss for this Shido guy, so I'm kind of expecting a few conditions. I don't really mind as long as he's reasonable about it, the happier everyone is with the parting the less we have to worry about it later."

Saeko went silent, pursing her lips as she thought.

"... I think this will be anything but simple, and honestly, I can't help but think that the less the two of you speak, the better." She said after a while.

"How so?"

"Shido has… a way of speaking that always makes more sense _when _he's speaking. It's as if the… nuance of what he's saying is never apparent until well after the fact. Words that have more than one meaning, promises that aren't really promises, deals where he takes far more than he gives, yet still leaves the other party feeling satisfied. It is almost like… it is less that his words are clever, and more so that hearing his words makes the listener _less_ clever."

"... Huh. Yeah, I'm gonna be pretty useless dealing with a guy like that." Takashi admitted after taking a moment to ponder. "Now, oh, hold that thought, first off, what is the deal between him and you anyways? You've been kind of vague on that."

"It's not all that complicated I suppose. A simple exchange of services in the end, I was seeking purpose and direction, he was seeking a strong arm to aid in achieving his ambitions. An alliance based on mutual benefit, I suppose you could say. It isn't as if I'm indentured to him for a set period of time or anything like that."

"It was always agreed that if I were to…" Saeko dropped her head back onto his chest, and Takashi couldn't help but notice that there was a bit of extra heat radiating from the Kunoichi's cheek. "Find someone, that my service would come to an end."

More specifically, if she were to find a _husband_, but even if she were hoping that she had indeed found that, saying it out loud was too daunting a task.

"... All sounds pretty informal." Takashi pointed out. "So I guess it depends how even he thinks the score is, between the two of you. Or, at least, how even he's willing to admit to it being."

"That does make sense, yes."

"What are those ambitions of his, while we're at it."

Saeko stiffened.

"Authority? Influence?"

"... Hang on Saeko, why are you phrasing that like a question?"

"Urk… that is…"

"You don't actually know, do you?"

"... It's not like I needed to be aware, I just needed to protect him and fend off anyone who wished to interfere in… violent fashion. It wasn't as if he asked me to do anything… underhanded."

"... So you just paid attention to the fighting part?"

"... It sounds bad when you say it that way."

"Listen, don't take this the wrong way Saeko, but I think I understand you a bit better."

"... Why does that not sound like a compliment?" And why did it make her happy anyways!?

"... Ah, don't worry about it." Takashi hedged.

Saeko lifted her head from his chest to glare pointedly down at him.

Takashi grinned.

"I was just thinking that your airheaded side is cute too."

* * *

"... So do you want the good news or the bad news?"

"... Hit me."

"Good news is, only one person is on our tail."

"Already!? How in Makai did they catch up to us already?"

"She must have been in the area already I guess, you know how much she gets around."

"You said she, didn't you. Kohta, did you say that _she _is on our tail?"

"Yeah, that's the bad news. There's only one person on our tail and that person is Rei."

"... I take it back. I didn't want to know the bad news at all."

"Maybe we can talk things out with her? We are friends… kinda?"

"As if that will work!" Saya hissed. "She gave up on _Takashi _within a week, how well do you think we stack up?"

"... It does sound kind of bad when you put it that way." Kohta said dubiously. After all, Takashi _could _be dead, and the whole thing was pretty weird, when he thought about it.

Rei was the kind of girl that locked herself in the training hall for _three days _when an instructor she admired gave a bad critique of her spear form, giving up didn't really seem-

Saya gave a shriek of protest as Kohta forced her head down with one hand, though the knee-jerk flailing ceased rather abruptly as she heard the heavy thunk of a sharp point burying itself in a tree trunk.

Slowly, Saya twisted her head around to look, and her reason for not raising her head became easily apparent as Shiro shook itself free of the tree trunk, sailing butt first back the direction it came.

Kohta followed the spear's flight as it streaked up into the air, and sure enough, there she was, hovering above them on wings of light.

Man, being Dual-Blessed would have been so cool.

"Heya Rei… long time no see." Kohta smiled up at the hovering girl.

"Hello Kohta… Saya." She smiled bitterly.

"So you're the one they sent, huh?" Saya huffed, hand on her hip and staff clutched tight.

"Yeah, I'm the one they sent… so I guess it's true, huh?" Rei whispered as her red eyes gleamed searchingly. "You really have been turned."

"... We have, yes."

Rei's grip on Shiro's pale shaft tightened.

"Well, then I guess there's nothing left to say, is there?"

"No, I suppose there isn't." Saya's eyes narrowed as the air around her began to whip about.

Yes there was!

Why were they acting like a deathmatch was the only way out of this!?

Kohta had just opened his mouth when Rei's tired chuckle cut him off.

Even as those burning wings of hers gleamed gold... it looked like a single careless movement would send Rei toppling from the sky.

"You know how I work, so you know there's no one else on their way." Rei muttered as she began to descend. "So just kill me and get it over with."

"... What did you just say?" Saya's disbelieving hiss broke the silence.

"Not to sound arrogant, but if you bring me down, they'll decide you're not worth the risk." Rei pointed out casually. "And if you disappear overseas, they'll probably just try to spin it as us all dying together, and just leave you alone."

Too casually.

"… That bad, eh?" Kohta shook his head as Rei caught his whisper, but only offered a weak little half-smile.

A creaking sound came from his left as Saya clenched her staff so tightly he thought it would splinter beneath her hand.

And then quite suddenly she was moving, and by then it was too late.

* * *

By the time she was moving, it was already too late.

Her and her husband had managed to escape the village, she had used that impressive natural strength of hers to plow through a weak section of fencing, and they'd escaped up the hill.

But Naomi, the Werecat from married to the local tailor, had caught wind of them, and streaked out of the village on all fours.

She couldn't understand how everything had gone so wrong, why Naomi was covered in blood and none of it was her own_\- and oh Maou they were killing each other-_ and she just wanted her husband to be safe, she just wanted this all to be some sick, twisted nightmare-

Naomi effortlessly caught up to them, of course. Even at her best there was no chance a Holstaur like her could outrun a Werecat, alone or not, and her desperate shouting was summarily ignored as Naomi coiled like a spring and pounced, gore-stained claws bared and reaching.

For what little good it would do, she twisted her body to shield her darling, closing her eyes tightly shut, hoping that at least the sturdiness of her frame would buy him just one more second to live.

But by then it was already too late.

It was more of a scream than anything else, the sound Naomi made.

Then it was hissing and gasping, the sound of something sharp scrabbling furiously in the dirt.

Trembling, she slowly let her eyes crack open, her grip on her husband only tightening as he gasped in surprise.

Gasping out the last of her life into the dirt, Naomi shuddered once more and went still, her bloody paws still coiled around the thing that had killed her.

At first, she thought it was a spear, piercing through Naomi's side and pinning her to the dirt. Then, after a moment she realized that it had feathers, and it was nothing more than a massive-

"... Arrow?" That's what it was, right?

… What kind of bow could have fired something that big_\- she was so afraid-_ and where was the one who-

"You two alright?" Came the soft inquiry from behind them, and she shrieked and jumped awkwardly away, her darling yelping in surprise as he was tugged along for a ride.

"N-Naomi!? S-she's-"

A paw over her mouth cut her off, the other gripping a massive darkwood bow, almost as tall as a person.

"Shh… we don't want any more attention." Their savior whispered, and she nodded shakily, even as her tail swished to and fro in agitation. "Sorry hun, but best I could do for her was put her down, before whatever kind of crazy she was trying on for size cleared up, and she started wondering whose blood was on her paws."

"Y-you don't understand, it's not just her it's-"

"The whole village. Yeah, I can hear it." The feline monster shook her head, pointed ears twitching.

Her husband reached up and rubbed her shoulder, murmuring reassurances in her ear as they turned their attention towards their savior. His eyes were both wild and glazed over at once, and she knew deep down, that he didn't believe what he'd seen, _couldn't _believe what he'd seen, anymore than she could.

Desperate for anything to take her focus before her vision wandered -_don't look don't listen-_, she turned her head towards their rescuer.

The woman who'd saved them was a Mamono like her, and a cat girl just like Naomi, but…

The comparison seemed inadequate. She didn't know any large breeds of cat, but comparing the woman before her to a Werecat was like… comparing a Holstaur child to a fully grown Minotaur warrior.

Where Naomi had been average in height compared to a human female, this woman was tall by the standards of a human _male_, putting the feline at about chin height to herself, and several inches above her husband.

Lean and long-limbed, skin a rich, even tan that remained silky and smooth in appearance, and despite her strong shoulders and taut midsection, her hips were pleasantly round and her breasts full and straining against her skimpy top.

Even at rest, her muscles carried a tense sort of energy to them, as if ready to spring in an instant no matter what posture she kept.

From about below mid-thigh on her legs, and from the junction of her arm between shoulder and bicep her limbs were covered with sleek fur, her limbs ending in cat-like paws. Her fur was an unusually gentle violet covered with dark spots, rings of black around darker purple. Her wavy violet hair was pulled into a high ponytail, seemingly framed between the pointed ears on the top of her head, and had black stripes coursing horizontally across her bangs, a pattern mirrored in along the length of her furry tail.

She was used to seeing her fellow sisters somewhat… lightly dressed (she herself was wearing overalls and nothing else, just as her husband liked), but on the sculpted body of a warrior, the more skin bared it seemed the more vibrant and confident she would appear.

She wore a simple black halter top consisting of two wide strips of fabric that crossed at the neck and were tied together at the back, leaving the middle and undersides of her breasts bared. From her hips hung a short black pareo style skirt tied off high on one hip, baring the skin of one leg almost entirely, and leaving an appealing strip of tanned skin between the skirt hem and cat's fur on the other. Resting asymmetrically across that was a sturdy leather belt, from which hung a long quiver resting against her more covered leg. Built into it was a sheath where a small dagger rested, though she suspected that a dagger saw little use with claws like that.

Though she wore no armor, the woman carried enough weapons that she imagined she didn't need the armor very often at all. Even more so than the massive bow or the woman's sharp claws, it was the weapon slung across her back that was truly unsettling. It looked like some sort of long, flat club, with feathers hanging from the pommel… if it could still be called a club when edged with sharp spikes of pitch-black, glossy stone.

"Now, not that I don't appreciate being eyed over by a pretty thing like you, but you should probably get a move along." The woman said with a teasing smirk on her pouty lips.

… The woman's eyes had been roaming too, and it wasn't her _husband _being admired by those smiling red eyes.

"You run along now, and don't you worry about anything other than staying hand in hand, and putting one foot in front of another. I'll just sneak on down and take a little peak, and if I see anyone else in need of saving, I'll bring 'em with me when I follow along, alright?"

The Holstaur and her husband had burned through the last of their adrenaline, it seemed, and just stood there, staring and quivering.

With a sigh of understanding, the feline Mamono gently, but quite firmly, turned them both around, not seeming to be hindered at all by how much larger the Holstair was compared to her. Giving the trembling bovine a playful swat on the rear, the woman winked at her as she yelped, even as the warrior drew forth another stone tipped arrow from her quiver.

Rika waited patiently as the young (by her standards anyways) couple slowly found their nerve once more, well, at least enough nerve to put one hoof in front of the other.

A self-mocking chuckle filled the air as Rika nocked the arrow.

Maybe Blossom would have been able to figure out what was wrong with these people, what kind of fresh insanity could cause almost an entire settlement's worth of Mamono to start tearing their mates, and each other, limb from limb.

Well, it wasn't a settlement anymore.

_**Now it was a feeding ground.**_

* * *

**Rei's mildly suicidal, Rika's a cat girl, (no one expects the cat girl), and Whimsy's writing violent erotica. The world we live in is a strange place.**

**Things will be explained more thoroughly as time goes on, but for now you get a lot of vague bits and pieces and impulsive decisions. Who knows, maybe that 'Blossom' knows more about what's going on, or can at least start making theories. Wonder who that could be.**

**Rika's species wasn't revealed because it's exotic and it kinda wasn't the time, Saya's wasn't revealed mostly just to fuck with you guys. Btw, Saya's outfit is semi-official, it's based off of one of the stills from the anime where several of the characters are depicted as fantasy classes. Their class names could actually be considered hints, so go see if you can dig them up. Saya's gallery on Comic Vine will show you the image in question.**


	5. The Lies We Tell Ourselves

**This chapter actually isn't very lewd by the standards of the other chapters.**

**Well, it'll balance out in the end.**

* * *

By the time she was moving, it was already too late.

… Rei's eyes barely had time to widen before Saya slapped her into the dirt.

With a strangled cry she fell and fell hard, Shiro clattering from her grip as her trembling hand flew up to her already swelling cheek.

"What the hell are you thinking you moron!? We hardly see you in months and you come after us on Inquisition's orders, only to give up like it's nothing without even a word of explanation!? Moron! Idiot! Stupid, brainless, muscle-headed bimbo!" Saya raged, looming over the fallen Hero and thrusting her pointer finger down like a sword.

"Why in god's name are you so broken up already, it's been four months since we've seen you last! Why are you so thin!? Have you not been eating properly, when was the last time you slept in a proper bed!? And so help me if you try to dodge the question I will bend you over my knee and spank you!"

Kohta tried not to chuckle as his lover's inner and outer voice got all tangled up, while a bewildered Rei remained still and tried to make herself seem as small as possible.

"And what kind of messed up greeting is that!? 'Hey Saya, hey Kohta, long time no see please kill me'!?"

… Just like that, the entire forest seemed to freeze.

Yeah, Kohta thought to himself… Rei had some explaining to do.

"T-they sent me to find out if you'd been… corrupted." Rei murmured, not looking at Saya at all. "A-and if you h-had been turned I… I… what was I supposed to do?"

"Uh, did _talking _never cross your mind!?" Saya snapped, hands on hips. "We can just take you with us, you utter imbecile! We're your friends! Do you think we want to fight you!? I gave you a good smack like I've been planning to for years so it's fine! And you and I both know you don't owe the Order a damn thing!"

"... Eh?" Neither of them missed the way Rei flinched as if Saya had slapped her again.

"If you don't wipe that dumb look off your face I will smack you again!"

Kohta definitely did not snicker, as he was far too busy examining the trees for something that wasn't glaring pretty orange daggers at him.

"... C-come with you? W-what do you… but I thought…"

"That I was angry at you for giving up on Takashi? You're damn right I am! But how am I supposed to scold you if we're not even talking, did you think of that, huh, huh!?

Rei shivered, and Saya stiffened in surprise as without any sort of warning the bewildered, exhausted expression gave way to something venomous and enraged as she rose to her feet with teeth bared and fists clenched.

"He's _dead_, Saya. Takashi's dead and there's nothing we can do about it! Do you think I just gave up like it was nothing!? I loved Takashi! I still do and it doesn't do him a damn bit of good if he isn't here!"

Saya took a half-step back, stiffening in shock as a pure white spear flew into Rei's trembling hands.

"... Rei? M-maybe you should t-take a deep breath?"

"Take a deep breath? You almost make it sound like I'm not calm, but how could that be because I'm totally calm?" Rei muttered in a light tone of voice that trembled like a bow-string drawn taut. "Maybe I'm just tired of people using every, single, conversation with me to drag out the memory of someone who would still be alive if I hadn't given him the cold shoulder over something stupid?"

"Y-you don't know he's dead!" Saya hissed back, even if she was on the back-foot from Rei's sudden switch from tired to murderous, there were some things she wasn't willing to back down on. "They never found his body!"

"He fell off the cliff! He was crushed by the landslide! Dead bodies go unrecovered all the time!"

A pointed cough.

Furious orange and murderous red slashed through the air and settled upon Kohta, gleaming savagely as their mana responded to their rage.

"Yeah… still here." He chuckled nervously, giving a half-hearted wave. "Y'know, I just wanted to mention… it's just, well, if Takashi couldn't survive that sort of thing with Berserker, we wouldn't be having this conversation at all?"

"What does that have to do with anything, Kohta?" Rei asked softly, though her grip on Shiro remained tight.

"I mean, that's not the first time he's fallen off a cliff, Rei." Kohta pointed out. "And we should all know, better than anyone else, _what happened the last time Takashi was in a cave-in_." "

He felt the chill too, as it swept the clearing, stealing away the gentle greens and browns of the forest, leaving hungry shadows and weak, trembling fire-light.

_It was like the mountain was roaring, furious at their intrusion._

_..._

" _Saya…? Rei…? Takashi?"_

…

"_What are we going to do! We're trapped!"_

"_I know! Let me think, there has to be-"_

_..._

" _Huh, it's kinda dark in here... uh, guys? What's everyone getting all worked up for?"_

"_What do you mean, what are we getting worked up for!? If you didn't notice-!"_

"_Take a deep breath and sit back, Saya."_

_A beast-like grin in the stuttering torchlight._

"_I've got this."_

* * *

The Werewolf plowed into the dirt, her momentum stolen by the stone-tipped arrow that had punched through her forehead.

She died with her lips curled in snarl… and still red with the blood of who she could only assume had been the woman's husband.

Not for the first time that day, Rika shivered.

* * *

"... He's right, Rei." Saya muttered, rubbing her arms in a vain attempt to bring some warmth back to them. "Takashi's already survived situations that no one else could… so what's got you so convinced this time?"

"I… he… me must have..." Rei burst out, before seeming to catch herself, biting her lips and averting her eyes. "I-I mean… if Takashi was alive… wouldn't he have come back by now?"

"... So that's what it is." Saya whispered softly, gazing at Rei as if seeing her for the first time. "Yeah, you're right… he would have. But, enough of that for now, okay?"

She gave a small shake of her head as Kohta blinked at her in shock.

"Come on now, Rei… how long did you fly to catch up with us? You look ready to collapse, you silly girl." That Rei didn't notice the way Saya's gentle words seemed to weigh down the air itself was hint enough that something wasn't quite right.

"Honestly… here, let's get you to the campsite, alright?" There was no campsite, they'd been busy running from Rei.

"Hmm? Y-yeah, I am kind of… tired… now that you mention… sorry for… worrying…" Rei swayed once and would have collapsed, had Saya not already been moving to catch her in her arms and lower her to the ground.

Kohta had to rub his eyes, not quite believing what he was seeing.

… Simple hypnosis shouldn't have worked, not on Rei.

Between the four of them, Rei had the highest resistance to magic.

… Takashi didn't count, since it would affect him and then he'd just get better.

Gently cradling the slumbering Rei, Saya gestured for him to take her, an all-too sweet smile on her face.

"Kohta, honey." Saya said in a syrupy voice as she rose.

"Yes, Saya?"

"Hypnotic suggestion." She chirped. "Someone put a hypnotic suggestion on Rei, which could _only _work if they were absurdly gifted… or her mental state was compromised. Someone _used _her grief as a _tool_."

Kohta took a long, shaky breath, and when his eyes reopened, they'd gone cold and flat, his teeth bared in a soundless snarl.

Saya nodded in confirmation, and abruptly turned on her heels, stalking off into the trees.

Like the considerate guy he was, Kohta covered Rei's ears.

"YOU SELF-RIGHTEOUS, MANIPULATIVE, SANCTIMONIOUS WIND-BAGS!" The forest shook as Saya screamed her fury. "IF I EVER SEE YOU IN PERSON I WILL NEUTER YOU WITH YOUR OWN STUPIDLY OVERSIZED HATS!"

A wide, fierce grin split his face as Saya ranted and raved and promised all sorts of dire misfortunes.

Promised, not threatened.

That was an important distinction, he felt.

* * *

The world was an unfair place, sometimes.

While a recently turned Mamono shattered the forest silence with her screams of incandescent rage, another woman, almost two days south, buried a woman she'd murdered alongside the man she'd failed to save, a man slain by his wife in the throes of madness.

Meanwhile, across the ocean, a Succubus swordswoman walked arm in arm with the love of her life, reveling in the warmth of his body and the playful evening breeze.

Soon, they would stop their journey for the night, and she would seduce him with all the love and wiles she had to offer, and after, they would fall into a deep, exhausted sleep in each other's arms.

She would pray that this time, perhaps he would be too tired to dream.

She would be wrong.

He would wake her, just past midnight, and she would whisper his name and hold him close as his hidden scars turned dreams into nightmares.

She would drive them away as best they could, and swear to herself that one day, she would chase them far enough away that those nightmares of his would lose their way back.

… After all, _he_ had done away with _her _nightmares, the very first time he'd held her in his arms.

So she had no intention of stopping until she'd done the same for him, as just one of many ways she could show him all the love and gratitude that welled up in her heart whenever she saw his face.

The world was an unfair place, sometimes.

But if you just kept looking, you might find it to be a beautiful place, as well.

* * *

Takashi woke up with a clear sky over his head and a soft, feminine hand around his morning wood.

… Probably one of the better wake-up's he'd had in recent… well, ever.

He lifted his head to smile at Saeko, and immediately had to bite down a chuckle at the adorable way her cheeks scrunched up in focus.

She noticed him smiling, and offered a warm one of her own, even as her hand continued sedately pumping.

"Forgive me, but I hope this is a suitable compromise."

"... I have no idea what you're apologizing for but I totally forgive you, and not just because of the important equipment you're currently handling."

Saeko gave one of her low, breathy giggles and clarified in her soft voice.

"My teachers would often insist that 'morning service' is the ideal way to awaken your man, but I had desires of my own, and thus hoped to meet you halfway?"

"Well, I'm pretty… happy with this." Ie. getting worked up and almost ready to blow. "What's the normal way, if you don't mind me… urgh... asking?"

"Ah, it's normally with my… mouth, but I was also maybe hoping for a…?" Saeko's voice dropped, so even with the note of hope in her voice he couldn't quite pick it up.

"Say again?" He managed to grunt, hips squirming.

"... Morning kiss?" She whispered as her cheeks flushed prettily, batting her eyelashes.

"... Me too, actually."

Eyes lighting up with delight, Saeko slid her body atop his, mashing her tits against his bare chest as her lips eagerly dove against his.

He wasn't sure how 'innocent' morning kisses were supposed to be, but it was kind of exciting when their tongues started rough-housing like that, and it was a massive turn-on the way her giggles made their joined lips vibrate as-

Saeko's pumping hand ramped up its speed, and Takashi growled into her mouth, bucking his hips as she pushed him over the edge.

Saeko planted one last kiss on his lips before sitting back, licking her fingers clean with a satisfied hum, before leaning back down to lick him clean as well.

"I made you breakfast, by the way." she said as she sat up, tongue tracing her glossy lips.

"Hmm? Oh, thanks… hang on, why is there only one plate?"

Saeko smirked, and Takashi couldn't help but roll his eyes, knowing she'd set that up deliberately.

Saeko giggled quietly, blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about me, Takashi… I've already eaten."

* * *

As the sunlight tickled her cheeks, Rei rolled over with a languid yawn, nestling more deeply against the silken pillows, absentmindedly noting that despite how soft they were, they didn't have a whole lot of give to them.

Letting her heavy eye-lids crack open just a tiny bit, Rei concluded that her pillows weren't all that squishy because her pillows were legs.

Well, thighs, and rather shapely one's at that, trained, but not overly so, with skin that was a healthy creamy color, and that was about the point why Rei started to wonder if she should stop examining the legs beneath her cheek, and start wondering who they belonged to.

"Good morning, Rei." Came a gentle whisper from above.

Rei turned her head, just enough to see Saya staring down at her, which was cute in a silly sort of way since Saya could barely look past her own boobs to do so.

Oh, it was Saya's lap she was sleeping on.

… Well, the dream was nice and all, and since she'd wake up soon and be alone once more, she might as well-

_-Saya slapped her hard, and as she fell she caught a glimpse of how Saya was somehow in more pain that she was-_

_-Sometimes, Kohta would smile this gentle sort of smile that told you he saw right through your lies but didn't mind that you'd told them, and that was the sort of expression he was wearing now-_

"Saya… is that… really you? I'm not… dreaming, am I? If I am, please, don't… just not yet-"

That was about as far as she got before Saya yanked Rei off her lap, and into a crushing hug.

"... Saya?"

"Shut up. You nearly scared me to death you big idiot." The arms squeezed tighter, and droplets of moisture were falling on her bare shoulder.

"... Sorry." She whispered back. "I'm…"

"Shut up and hug me back, you silly girl."

Slowly, Rei did just that.

Slowly, it sank in that the arms around her were real.

Slowly, the tears fell, and for the first time in what felt like years, she didn't have to cry alone.

Saya's arms tightened, all of a sudden.

"Rei, I'm sorry I have to do this right now and ruin the moment, but be honest with me."

Rei tensed.

"... Y-yes?"

"Do you think Takashi is really dead?"

"... He would have returned by now if he wasn't, wouldn't-" Rei sucked in her breath so quickly that both their bodies shook.

"Unless what, Rei?"

"Unless he… oh god he's been blaming himself the whole time… he's… oh… and I… I just left him, all alone!" Rei stammered out, breath coming in harsh, ragged gasps as she shook.

"I can't believe I… oh, Takashi, I…"

"It's not your fault, Rei." Kohta whispered.

"But it is! He's been alone all this time, I'm sure of it! You know how he gets when he feels guilty!"

"Hypnotic suggestion."

"... Huh?"

"'If Takashi was alive, wouldn't he have come back by now?'" Saya repeated slowly, keeping Rei wrapped tightly in her arms. "Kind of makes sense, doesn't it? It's the kind of thing anyone would be willing to believe… if they didn't know him like we did."

"But I should know better! After all, he… I!"

"You blamed yourself for what happened." She still did. "You were afraid, you were hurting, you didn't know how you were going to face him."

"..."

"A sympathetic little whisper when your thoughts are at their darkest and your defenses at their lowest, lace in a little bit of magical weight, and something that _could_ make sense becomes a whole lot more believable."

"But why would…?"

"You're Dual-Blessed, the daughter of Heroes, and so the Order can't afford to have you lose yourself with grief, or better yet, run off searching for Takashi?"

Rei's retort died in her throat.

It couldn't… they wouldn't?

No, they'd sent her on mission after mission, alone so that she could 'move faster and not have to worry about protecting anyone else'. They'd run her ragged to the point she'd barely had time to grieve, and she had welcomed it because she didn't want to.

… Honestly, she'd made it easy.

She'd been a good little tool, hadn't she?

"But, what about the two of you? You were top of the class as well."

"I'm too on guard because my 'loving' parents are retired Heroes who fund the Inquisition." Saya declared frankly.

Slowly, they both turned to look at Kohta, who seemed a little surprised to find the focus shifted his way.

He scratched his head and shrugged.

"I just listen to Saya because she's smarter and prettier than our bosses."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Rei grinned at the sight of Saya's expression torn between smug and embarrassed.

* * *

"Hey, I've been thinking, but... you're still the same, aren't you?" Rei murmured, after what felt like a long, long while, leaving Saya's embrace and rising to her feet.

Huh, that was why it was kind of breezy.

Saya must have removed her boots and greaves to let her sleep more comfortably, and that was basically all that covered her legs to begin with.

"Hmm? Oh… yeah, I guess so. Being a monster hasn't really changed all that much for me, to be honest." Saya said as she rose, dusting her butt off.

"... Did you manage to… y'know?" Rei began quietly, fumbling for the words even as she leaned in. "I-I mean, I heard that you lose a lot of… well, get a little less restrained… I mean, did you manage to finally tell…?"

"Oh, do you mean did I finally manage to confess to Kohta?" Saya replied, not quietly in the least.

Rei nodded hesitantly, cheeks flushed.

"He still beat me to it."

"... Oh."

Saya's tiny smile grew into something radiant, breath-taking, and undeniably smug.

"... Ohhhh."

Saya giggled, and Rei turned her head to find Kohta grinning proudly.

Rei took Saya by the hands and silently began to back up, pulling her along.

Both Saya and Kohta gave her some strange looks, but, before they knew it, they'd been pushed together so that Rei could hug them both at the same time.

"... Okay." She whispered, her voice a little thick. "I've decided that you two being turned… I don't care. I don't care how wrong the Order says it is, as long as you two are happy."

… It had been something that had set their little group apart, in a way.

They protected innocent people from mamono, sure, but none of them could say they really hated them either.

Mamono just followed their instincts, and it wasn't like they had a lot of options themselves.

Mamono needed humans, but humans didn't need mamono.

So in a way, they were victims themselves, left with no other options than to rely on human's for the continuation of their species.

Sure, that didn't mean that Takashi, Saya, Rei or Kohta would give mamono a free pass to do whatever they wanted, but there was some sympathy there.

So the four of them had settled on a purely case-by-case basis, judging each and every mamono by her actions, just like they would humans.

So Rei's thoughts for Saya's turning were going to hinge on some last key details.

"Sorry, I hope this isn't too sensitive but… tell me, Saya." Rei asked, releasing the couple and scrutinizing them calmly. "How did it happen? How did you get turned into a monster?"

"Well, I guess you could say it was the worst thing that ever happened to me." Saya candidly replied, before turning suddenly to plant a kiss on Kohta's cheek. "Until someone decided to turn it into the best thing that had ever happened to me."

* * *

_She was supposed to be a genius._

_A once a generation magical prodigy._

_Until she'd examined a grimoire practically hand-written to snare someone as clever as her._

_A pedestal with a geiss attached, a banishing circle inscribed on the underside of the rug a page-wiping trap wards attached to the page-wiping trap ward on the outer cover, one self-immolating hex, and mind-fraying horror-glyphs on the inside of both the front and back covers._

_Seven traps, that once completed, would remove the defenses of the most powerful grimoire in the vault… and dissolve the ink of every __**other **__book in the vault into lust haze, the presence of which would seal the door shut to let the corruption do its work._

_While the wind hex woven into the __**carpet **__fibres sucked every vapor in the room right on top of her._

_Seven was the number for magic, she should have known that someone talented enough could use the __**representation **__of the number as a spell trigger._

_Instead, with the taste of victory still on her lips, Saya had just barely managed to shunt Kohta from the vault with an emergency teleport before her lungs were full of that damn haze, and why had she sent Kohta away when she really, really wanted him right here?_

_What a silly girl she was._

_She should go find him and apologize for startling him like that, and she knew __**just **__the way to show how sincere-_

… _She was already turning, wasn't she?_

_Oh no, oh no oh no-_

…

"_Why'd you run, Saya?"_

"_You know damn well why I ran! I'm corrupted you idiot, it's taking everything I've got not to jump your bones right this second!"_

"_... Did you really think I wouldn't come looking?"_

"_Of course not! I just… I just…"_

"_Did you really think I was gonna just let you go?"_

"_... Please Kohta… I'm begging you… I-I don't want to fight. Please, just… look the other way. I'll leave, go somewhere far, far away and not bother anyone… please."_

"_Well, I guess there's nothing for it then."_

"_... Why? Wasn't… I thought, if anyone… that maybe you would understand…"_

"_After all, if I looked the other way it would be really hard to come with you."_

"_Kohta, please, I'm… eh?"_

"_Yeah, I mean... you're the kind who actually gets lonely really easily, aren't you, Saya?"_

* * *

"And then Kohta confessed, I confessed back, and we did the sex."

"A lot of the sex. Turned me into an Incubus and everything."

"Kohta, honey, there was a ritual for that. Remember, that grimoire that turned me into a monster actually had something useful in it?"

"There was a ritual!? Wait, it did? Then why'd you light the book on fire!?"

"Because the author of that book was a total bitch, and I hope she spends the rest of eternity on a dry-spell."

"Nonononono hang on!" Rei burst out, interrupting the two.

They turned to face her, innocent curiosity in their eyes that for some reason made her want to smack their heads together.

"There are a lot of details missing from that story!"

"... Yeah, but not any important ones?" Saya began slowly, giving her a dubious look.

"What about the confession!? That's-!"

"Huh? I mean, Kohta told me he loved me, I told him the same thing back, and boom sex? Not a lot to tell there, really."

"That's it!? There has to be more than that, that sort of thing is super important!"

"... You sure? Whoa, okay okay put Shiro down!"

Shiro vanished in a flash of white light, and Rei crossed her arms and began tapping her foot.

"I wasn't lying when I said there wasn't really much to tell." Saya began, a hint of apology in her smile. "I told him we couldn't stay together because I couldn't trust myself around him. He told me that he'd trust me enough for both of us." Saya's smile seemed to grow fonder with every word, reverence coloring her soft tone. "I told him I didn't want to hurt him, and he told me 'start by not disappearing on me like that'."

"She asked why I was so set on staying with her, and I said-" Kohta picked up, and they both turned to smile warmly at one another, speaking words from the heart in perfect harmony.

"_**Because I'm in love with you, obviously."**_

… By the time she was moving, it was already too late.

The next thing they knew, Saya and Kohta were on their backs, pinned beneath a laughing, crying, joyful mess of a girl.

A friend they'd thought they'd lost, and now…

One who would help them find the _other _friend they'd lost.

"Hey, hold on, something else is missing from that story." Rei said suddenly, from on top of Saya and Kohta.

"... There is? Oh, yeah, I guess I didn't tell you what kind of monster I turned into." Saya pondered, as they rose from the tangle and into seating positions.

"No, you haven't." Rei shook her head. "But don't worry, it won't change anything, so hit me with it… okay, actually, I'll need some time to adjust if you have vines or tentacles, but can you blame me?"

"No, that's fair, mamono with tentacles always seem really fond of you for some reason."

Rei shuddered at the memory.

_Several_ memories.

"Well, hate to break it to you, but I don't actually know what kind of monster I am." Saya admitted, in a tone that suggested it wasn't her problem.

"... You don't know what kind of monster you are." Rei said in a flat tone.

"Nope. I mean, I'm not using any magic to disguise my appearance, so… probably a Majin of some kind since they're the most human in appearance?" Saya speculated. "My bet's on Dark Mage, since I was already a mage, and I woke up one morning with a brain full of new spells who's main common ground was being kinky."

"... You didn't change at all, physically?"

"Nope, not-"

"That's actually not quite true." Kohta interjected.

"Oh? Do tell."

"Wait, what do you mean I changed? I think I would-"

"Her boobs are bigger, her butt is rounder and her hips are wider." Kohta declared confidently. "She also grew about an inch and half taller, and that height was all leg."

Rei smirked as Saya flushed, spluttering and stammering.

"... So, if her boobs got bigger, does that mean your…?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, it totally did."

… She definitely had not expected him to answer so easily, and now she _was _just as embarrassed as Saya.

Saya's cheeks were still a rosy pink, but her smile was once again smug.

"Hey, hold on a second, Kohta's an Incubus, so if he didn't change all that much, doesn't that basically mean he was already perfect for Saya?"

"..."

"..."

"There should be a limit to how cute you two can be."

* * *

It had been a long, long time since being alone really bothered her.

Strange how that worked, considering that when she _wasn't _alone, things quickly strayed into the 'kill or be killed' category.

This… sickness, it seemed like it was everywhere.

It didn't matter if they were human or monster, if they were sick, they turned vicious.

Feral, like wild animals.

When she had been little more than a cub, just starting to wander the world, she'd protected a small farming settlement from a rabid bear.

This reminded her of that, but…

Mindless aggression, the unthinking desire to tear apart the warm body in front of you and _devour _it was a lot scarier to watch when those actions were coming from a _person_.

Humans just acted like hungry animals, they'd bite and scratch and tear people limb from limb with their bare hands.

It was way worse with her fellow mamono, and not just they were stronger than the average human. But because the sickness seemed to fill them not just with bloodlust, but with the regular kind of lust as well.

She'd heard somewhere that a praying mantis would eat her mate during sex.

Way more unsettling when it was a Mantis _girl_, especially when said girl's mana should have kept her from hurting anyone unless she _wanted_ to.

Humans didn't have that, but a mamono's mana should automatically offer her that same protection against the humans…

And it didn't.

The magical junk aside, Rika had managed to cobble together some bits and pieces of things Blossom had told her in the past, and begun looking for 'symptoms'.

… Well, she'd figured out that 'biting' seemed to cause the sickness to spread.

And possibly sex.

She'd heard humans could transmit diseases during sex, but monsters didn't really get sick so she'd never seen it happen.

There had to be something else though, if it was passed on through sex or biting then someone had to have had the sickness _before _either of those things happened to them, right?

That was what she thought the 'mist' must be.

It kind of looked like the lust haze that a lot of Mamono gave off, the ones who could project pheromones or even just externalize their mana, like a Succubus.

The 'mist' she'd seen, drifting through the air was colored all wrong, though.

Lust haze _looked _tempting by its very nature, made you just a little curious whenever you saw it in the air.

This looked like something you'd choke on, like thin, stagnant gases off a marsh, brought to mind a bad experience she'd had where a strange smell from a cave had left her unable to do anything but gag and vomit away an entire night.

She'd stayed well away from the mist, and hadn't that salted some fresh wounds of hers.

More than once, Rika had been forced to watch when someone she could have saved blundered through the mist, and, if she was _really _unlucky, made a beeline for her with teeth bared.

Not that that was even all that dangerous though.

At least, not to her.

Most of the mamono in the area were Beastkin like her, but nothing in this neck of the woods was _really_ like her.

These calm forests were no equal to the fierce, teeming jungles of her birth.

Werecats were cute and all, but she was no house cat.

She was Ocelomeh.

A jaguar warrior, one of the bestial berserkers of the distant, wild jungles.

… Well, she didn't do a lot of berserk-ing these days.

Mostly because Blossom would always scold her when she got too reckless, or worse yet, tear up and pout.

It had stuck with her, because if there was anything Rika hated more than cages, it was 'things that made Blossom cry'.

It wasn't because she was getting old or anything.

Mamono couldn't be considered old until their age hit the triple digits, and she'd stopped counting _way _before then.

… She really missed Blossom.

And she really wished that she could clean away the stench of blood on her arrows.

It wasn't like she was just mindlessly killing as if she was one of… well, 'them', but…

Rika had tried a few times to restrain one of the infected, to see if she could do something, anything to help them, or maybe keep them safe long enough that they could just work it out of their systems.

A young man she'd restrained from behind had snapped his own neck, trying to bite her.

A Weresheep she'd carefully restrained with rope had broken more than that, trying to single-mindedly pull her way free.

It was less like they 'felt no pain' and more like they didn't notice injuries in the first place.

… She really missed Blossom, it had only been somewhere around two years since the last stretch of time they'd spent together, but…

She was hurting, and she desperately needed to see a friendly face.

Also a pretty one, and Blossom was the prettiest woman in the entire world.

More than that, though, she was worried.

Blossom could protect herself if she had to, but Blossom was a healer, and Blossom would most certainly try to heal a sick person.

One bit was all it would take, and then-

No, no she couldn't think about it.

She'd go insane if she started imagining Blossom with blood on her lips.

Zipangu.

Blossom was in Zipangu, she hoped.

They'd 'swapped mana' enough that she could get a vague sense of which direction brought her 'closer to Blossom' if she focussed on that feeling hard enough.

Blossom was somewhere, far to the east, given how faint the feeling was, and Rika really, really hoped that that meant she had an entire ocean between her and… whatever this sickness was.

Even if she didn't, they were going to fix that the moment she found Blossom.

Blossom might be able to help these people, but it didn't mean a thing to her if Blossom wasn't safe, and so she'd drag Blossom as far away from this as she could, even if Blossom hated her for it.

It had always been the same way with them, cherishing their time together and eagerly awaiting the next time they'd meet, even when the winds carried their wandering souls in opposite directions.

… Not this time, though.

This time, when she found Blossom, and she _would _find Blossom, she was sticking with her until her bones were little more than dust.

She'd give up wandering in any direction but the one Blossom picked, as long as it meant Blossom could be safe.

She couldn't, _wouldn't_ do that for anyone else, so…

That was love, wasn't it?

"Yeah… okay, maybe my timing could have been a little better." Rika chuckled to herself, her tail swishing idly in the empty air beneath her as she reclined upon a high branch.

"But, come to think of it, if she is in Zipangu, doesn't she have a name she likes to use, when she's over there? Might make her easier to find, girl always leaves an impression.. 'Specially that rack of hers... now, what was it… hmmm."

For a while, nothing but the breeze filled the now quiet forest.

"Oh! That's it!" Rika shouted, sitting up so quickly she would have fallen out of the tree, at least, if she hadn't had such handy claws.

"Shizuka! That's what they call Blossom over there, Shizuka!"

* * *

She still didn't really know how she was going to face Takashi.

Probably none of them did.

Well, begging for forgiveness seemed like a good start, and…

As long as he was okay, she didn't care if he wanted her around or not.

Rei had to keep telling herself that, or else that first step would be too high an obstacle.

* * *

Takashi didn't like this Shido guy from the moment Saeko had mentioned him, and seeing him in person didn't change that at all.

Just like Saeko had said, Shido's little harem was lounging around his 'throne'.

Miku, with her electric blue hair and furry, twitching ears, was a Raiju. A weasel beastkin, wild hedonists whose own endless lust charged the lightning he could see, dancing across her skin and the yukata that was practically falling from her shoulders.

Her grin was too wide… It reminded him of Berserker.

Kawamoto was a Nekomata, a type of catgirl native to Zipangu, whose high magical power had caused their tails to split into two. She had a bright, cheerful smile, but Takashi knew better.

Cats could be cruel, and something told him Kawamoto was a fine example of that.

Lastly, seated politely behind and off to the side of the throne, on a bed of her own milk-white coils was Taniuchi, the Shirohebi.

The White Serpent, Lamias with control over water.

Her demeanor was the most polite and reserved, but those red eyes of hers hadn't blinked, even once.

And there, of course, was Lord Shido.

The Incubus, a human male imbued with the power of monsters, a dark mirror to the divinely empowered Heroes.

Sharp golden eyes and no visible inhuman characteristics, but…

Deep inside Takashi's mind, Berserker was howling.

'_Don't let him make the first move.'_

… He should have listened.

"Saeko, my dear!" Shido stood with a clap of his hands and a warm, welcoming on his face.

"I see you've returned, and so soon! Wonderful! Why, this time you've…" Shido cut himself off with a theatrical gasp.

It couldn't be helped.

Saeko was nervous, and though she hid it well, when Shido had spoken, she'd unwittingly dropped a tiny hint that Shido had picked up on in an instant.

Just a tiny shift of her weight, just a hairsbreadth closer to the only person in the room she could trust.

Damn, this guy was sharp.

"Could it be!?" Shido gasped. "Have you finally found your destined one? I'm so moved! Such a joyous occasion, and look!"

The glittering eyes of his attendants sharpened with cruel intensity.

"This time, she didn't even have to kill him to learn of her feelings!"

… Just like that, Saeko watched as her whole world fell apart with a single sentence.

* * *

**Yep, Shido starts things off with a pre-emptive strike.**

**This is fine.**

**Pour one out for Rika, who's found the HOTD part of the crossover, but hey, at least Rei is doing better?**

**Yeah, poor thing. People have their insecurities preyed on all the time, but it's one of those things that seems like it only happens 'to someone else' until it's your strings they're pulling.**

**And so there we go, Rika's an Ocelomeh (they're basically Aztec warrior cat girls, it's awesome and they're new and under-represented among MGE writing), and Saya's a Dark Mage assumedly, since that transformation only makes them hotter and hornier for the most part.**

**You might have noticed that I still haven't described much of Rei's appearance, that's deliberate and will make sense in time.**

**Oh, and did you like that flashback with hints of what Takashi's Berserker can pull off?**


	6. The Shadows on the Wall

**Not much to say here, so let's just watch the chaos unfold.**

* * *

"Indeed, it is rare for a Yokai to kill a human… even more so when the Yokai is _unclaimed_." Shido sighed. "After all, no matter how unwilling they are to _harm _another, anything can be justified in the name of love."

The Yokai flanking him nodded readily, their wary expressions towards her morphing into reverent, loving smiles as their gazes returned to their love, to the man that was their entire world.

It made her feel a little nauseous to see, somehow.

… Or maybe that knot in her stomach was just fear, because Takashi hadn't said a word since Shido's little… reveal.

Saeko wasn't stupid.

_She just didn't know… what was she supposed to say?_

She should have told him.

_Told him that she didn't mean to._

She should have told him the truth.

_That there had been so much blood._

She should have told Takashi that she was a killer, a murderer.

_She should have told him how __**right **__it felt._

Instead, she'd pushed it aside until she'd almost forgotten it herself.

_'Don't be afraid.'_

She'd let herself be lured in by something she had no right to even witness.

_'Please, please don't be afraid of me.'_

Happiness.

_'You, I would never hurt.'_

And now it had come back to bite her in the worst possible way.

_'I was so scared, so afraid that I would ruin… that I would lose this-'_

"Well, let's put that aside for now." Takashi said, in a tone that suggested the topic had drifted off course and he'd rather they get back on track.

'… _Huh?'_

"It doesn't bother you at all, what she's hidden from you?" Taniuchi's calm, measured tone probed, eyes keen with scrutiny as they stared unblinkingly towards Takashi. "... Lord Shido just told you that Miss Saeko _killed _someone, and you brush it aside?"

'… _**Don't look at him.'**_

Taniuchi might have been the serpent, but quite suddenly _she _was the one feeling venomous, ready to bite.

_**'I'll kill you, you bitch.'**_

Something dark and vicious was _burning _inside of her chest, _begging_ to be unleashed.

_**'I'll kill you all.'**_

Taniuchi.

Then Kawamoto.

Miku.

Then finally _him_, before Takashi had to suffer another word from that _thing's _mouth.

Yes, that would be-

A hand fell onto the hilt of her sword, and unimportant things like her wounded psyche were pushed aside as Saeko's vision narrowed in hostility.

The Raiju's smile widened and the sparks of electricity danced with greater fervor across her curvy form, and the Shirohebi rose slightly from her coils, hovering protectively beside the throne with a menacing rustle of scales. The Nekomata was calm, daintily examining retractable claws that hadn't been drawn a second before.

Shido, for his part, merely quirked an eyebrow, tenting his hands and still observing Takashi with a callous sort of curiosity.

Her muscles tensing in readiness, Saeko didn't have the leeway, nor the inclination to consider that the blackness in her heart, that familiar bloodlust she'd struggled to keep contained, was quite suddenly being embraced like an old friend.

Bloodlust that quite suddenly dispersed like mist, as a warm _-so warm!-_ hand gripped her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Eh… sounds like a 'me and her' sort of thing, what's that got to do with you?" Takashi drawled.

Taniuchi's red eyes widened minutely, but a chuckle cut her off before she could say anything more.

"Fascinating, fascinating!" Shido smiled wide, clapping his hands together suddenly. "Love does such strange things to the mind, you truly have chosen well, my dear Saeko!"

The grip on her hand tightened just a little,and Saeko nearly whimpered like an embarrassed maiden as Takashi pulled her closer to him and just a little behind, in a gesture that some Yokai instinct immediately classified as 'protective'.

The gesture was no less poignant for the fact that he was unarmed, no way the girls would let an armed stranger anywhere near Shido, and she could tell they'd wanted _her _weapons removed as well.

But even as every muscle in her body was ready to draw her sword and attack at the slightest provocation, Saeko's mind was awhirl, consumed with one single thought.

_'He's… he's not afraid of me?'_

_'He… Takashi...'_

"-are through." Takashi was declaring flatly. "We'll forget this ever happened, forget you sent someone to _kidnap _me, and we'll never cross paths again."

… He could have said anything at all, and she would have thought it a wonderful idea.

"... How dreadfully high-handed." Shido replied, frowning lightly in concern. "I did not ask dear Saeko to _harm _you, perish the thought! The road is dangerous, she was for _your_ protection! Merely a messenger, that would become your guide, your guard should you so graciously heed the _invitation_, should you _wish_ to meet!"

… Ah, so Shido was playing ignorant, as to her instructions if Takashi had declined the 'invitation'.

"There's a rule about taking responsibility for your subordinates." Takashi fired back. "No matter what you _intended_, the subordinate _you _sent to find me attacked me in my _bed_."

… Well, she would have preferred cuddling. He was cute when he slept.

"Of course, and I am willing to make amends. But do understand, Saeko is our dearly trusted comrade, no matter how concerned I may be from yet another tragic lapse of control, it remains true that I desire her well-being. What kind of man would I be if I allowed a trusted confidant to be carried off by a total stranger?"

… As if Shido had trusted her, even once. She wasn't one of his pets, there was no leash around _her_ neck.

"... Right, kinda thought you'd say something like that. But, aren't her wishes important too?"

"But of course! However, after all, this is the _second_ time Saeko has expressed interest in a man, thus I cannot help but worry. At least I must ask for your patience, a chance to allow Saeko to be sure of her feelings."

"And if I am?"

Everyone turned to look at her. Oh… it seemed she'd recovered her voice.

"Then of course I would offer my blessings, and pray for your happiness. Who am I to interfere with _love_? After all, that was our agreement, and you have more than upheld your end of the deal. But do understand, keeping in mind the circumstances when you and I first met, I am somewhat concerned that this young man does not bear your mark."

Takashi hadn't… he still hadn't… no, there was _nothing _wrong with that, humans needed time to sort out their feelings, and it wasn't as if she was willing to _cheat _his emotions and just Charm him!

So obviously Takashi didn't carry the scent of her mana!

No, they'd had plenty of sex, and doing it willingly without Charm or force should have hastened the intermingling of spirit energy… her defective nature was just coming back to bite them once again.

"You're willing to make amends, she's willing to make amends, and I've told you what I want, so we're good. Good."

… Ah… she loved it when he was _forceful _like that.

"Ah, if only it were that simple. Perhaps the two of you are acting in haste?" Shido suggested hesitantly, as if uncomfortable, but resigned to what he felt he must give voice to.

… Don't listen to him, Takashi. If you give him an inch… she really should just-

"That's what I thought. Anyways, we should probably get the fight out of the way."

… Ah, how lovely, he really was perfect for her… wait, what did he just say?

"... Ah, I'd been afraid it would come to that." Shido sighed dramatically in a way that didn't fool her in the least. "Miku, if you'd do the honors?"

"Ehehe~" Giggling, the Raiju slid one slender hand across the arm of the throne.

Saeko's blade was already in her hand, her muscles tensing-

The wooden clunk that the arm of the chair made reverberated through the room, the last few inches of it hinging downwards as Miku pressed her fingers against it.

Saeko braced as the whole floor seemed to sink, her gaze snapping to Takashi in instinctive worry that overrode even deep-seated killer instinct-

"... Y'know, collapsing floors are only in bad fiction." Takashi snarked.

"Precisely why no one anticipates them in real life." Shido fired back.

"... Fair point."

And then the floor was gone from beneath them, and she'd regretted letting go of Takashi's hand as they fell, because as they both fell into the darkness, they both fell into the darkness alone.

* * *

Okay, so he didn't like Shido from the start, but this wasn't dislike anymore.

This was probably more like hate.

As if admitting that was the trigger Berserker was waiting for, a surge of beast-like strength pulsed through his muscles, tipping the balance against the beast-like strength of the Minotaur he was currently trying to choke out.

Her fingers slipped from his arms as she went limp in the hold, sinking to her knees.

Able to finally put his feet back on the ground, Takashi counted down a few seconds before easing up, gently lowering the much taller monster to the ground and rolling her onto her side.

Saya had called this the 'recovery position', when she'd been grilling him about the first aid class he'd slept through.

Which had worked out better in the end, since she was a better teacher than the teacher anyways.

Shooting the unconscious Minotaur one last glance before moving on, Takashi resolved that when he got back to the surface, he was going to punch Shido in the face for every false turn, trap and horny, hungry Yokai he ran into.

That, and he was also going to release the trapped Yokai, after the face-punching of course.

Well... help Saeko release them, and then bail before any of them actually escaped.

Even if they were grateful for his part in setting them free, there was a good chance they'd also be pent-up to the point of insanity like the Minotaur, and Takashi wasn't really interested in having to beat off horny monster girls with a Demon-realm Silver stick.

A Demon-Realm Silver stick he'd really like to have back, so he could apologize to Titan for calling Titan a stick.

All in all though, it had been a while since he'd had a good old fashioned Dungeon crawl, so Takashi was kind of having fun.

… Or he would be, if he wasn't so worried about Saeko.

… Shido really did ruin everything, huh? Okay, his gratitude at sending Saeko to him was all dried up.

That aside, normally Takashi was confident Saeko would be okay, she was strong enough that he didn't really have to worry about her being left on her own.

Right now though, being on her own was the last thing she needed, because he just knew Saeko was busy _agonizing _over what he thought about her little secret.

Well, when they reunited, maybe he'd have to tell her his.

Seemed only fair.

… Man, they really were more alike than he'd thought, though.

Comforting, or tragic?

...

… Both.

It was both.

* * *

The Werewolf stumbled as she landed from her pounce, bleeding mana into the air as her claws scrabbled upon the stone.

Much as she enjoyed fighting, there was no pleasure in a battle like this.

Saeko had a small frown on her lips as the Werewolf lunged again, swiping viciously at the elusive Kunoichi.

She'd be more sympathetic, take more time to try and calm down the poor girl, but-

The Werewolf gave a strangled cry as a katana pierced her back and pinned her to the stone.

"Forgive me." Saeko whispered as the woman thrashed once and went still, too mana-deprived to retain consciousness. Pulling her sword free and sheathing it, she gently lifted the woman from the ground, carrying her over to the pile of dirty straw that bore the woman's scent.

… It was rare for a Yokai to attack another like that, even if Saeko had unwittingly trespassed on the beast-girl's territory.

That just showed how worn down the poor Werewolf was, she had just snapped and attacked the moment she'd caught wind of Saeko.

Oh, it wasn't as if the Werewolf would have caused her any real harm, just scratched and bit out some of her mana until the 'intruder' fled or was in no condition to fight, but Saeko simply had no time to humor her, and no easy escape route in such tight quarters.

The false floor of Shido's court had given way to several stone shoots, and hers had curved away from Takashi.

Beneath the castle was what seemed to be a partially cultivated set of natural tunnels, all interwoven together.

She wasn't all that surprised to be completely unaware of their existence, nor that of the false floor.

Shido had never needed such tricks when he had her blade to rely on instead, but at the same time, theirs was an alliance of convenience, nothing more.

With enough mana infusing the stone that at this point, it was almost a genuine Dungeon, one of those self-sustaining supernatural mazes that came to life from time to time throughout the world.

… Shido really did ruin everything, didn't he?

Had she not been beside herself with worry, Saeko would have been positively elated at the chance to challenge a Dungeon at Takashi's side.

Except she wasn't at his side…

They'd had more than enough sex, exchanged more than enough mana that Saeko should have been able to _feel _Takashi, sense his presence, even miles apart.

It couldn't be helped that their mana hadn't quite bonded, after all, she was still waiting to hear that precious four letter word from Takashi.

She couldn't let herself doubt that he wouldn't, that he would _never _feel for her the same way she did for him.

Even if the name he cried out in his nightmares was never hers.

Saeko still believed, still _had _to believe that he wasn't leading her on.

If Takashi didn't love her, it meant that he just didn't love her _yet_, not that he never would.

She would do everything she could to make that a reality, it was just...

… A proper Yokai would have already found... would have already found Takashi.

But there was no proper Yokai to seek Takashi out… there was only her.

The one who was to blame for anything that might happen to Takashi.

Takashi could be in danger, Saeko sincerely doubted that a lone Werewolf was the only Yokai lurking in the labyrinth, and there was no guarantee he'd had as easy a landing as she had.

It was foolish, she was dimly aware.

Especially since even if he _had _a rough landing, Berserker would just heal him.

It occurred to her that she liked Takashi's Blessing more than Takashi liked Takashi's Blessing.

Truthfully, though, she had no idea how a real fight between herself and him would have gone, and she had a sneaking suspicion that Takashi himself might have no idea how strong he really was.

He restrained himself so naturally, even when their battle was at its fiercest.

So it was foolish of her to be so worried for someone so powerful, when they'd been apart for less than fifteen minutes at this point.

But...

With Takashi out of sight, the wonderful days they'd shared seemed more and more dream-like with every passing minute.

Saeko couldn't quite shake the feeling that at any moment, she'd wake up and the dream would be over.

* * *

Shido was calm as he gazed out at the half-moon hanging idly in the sky.

What were the chances that the news of the exiled Hero that had reached his ears would have brought the Kunoichi straight to her destined one?

He was honestly surprised she was _capable _of love to begin with, the girls found Saeko so off-putting precisely due to the way she seemed faintly repulsed by any displays of affection.

Why, he'd hardly recognized the girl until he'd provoked her a bit, coaxed out the rage that she seemed to be trying to conceal for some 'inexplicable' reason.

Perhaps she had just been a late bloomer.

Odd for a member of a species that supposedly needed sex to live, but the lack of a love-life had never hindered the Kunoichi's blade before.

Honestly, they might be in trouble if both the Hero and the Kunoichi made it out from the catacombs side by side.

Without his aid, Shido wasn't honestly convinced that the girls could handle the Kunoichi alone, not with how much stronger she'd become with a regular source of mana.

If the Hero was at her side, then there would be nothing more to be done but make his escape.

The girls would not blame him if he escaped on his own, rather, the insipid creatures would be _relieved _if he left them behind, if only it would mean his safety.

Yokai had always been slaves to their baser instincts, to their lust.

They called it 'love' to justify their dependency, nothing more.

After all, he would not have been able to so easily mislead any sort of _deeper _emotion.

* * *

"We can't let them get anywhere near Shido." Kawamoto flatly declared.

"I agree, but what are we to do?" Taniuchi asked softly.

"Huh, isn't it super obvious?" Miku asked, tilting her head and flocking electric blue ears in confusion. "All we gotta do is rough 'em up a whole bunch! If they're too scared to go near us, they can't go near Shido cuz one of us is always nearby!"

"Do you think we can, though? None of us can beat Saeko in a fair fight, and she's way stronger now that she's actually having sex." Kawamoto pointed out. "Which is super weird, it's almost like she's _normal _or something!"

"Normal? I thought she was gonna kill us! What kinda Yokai has that much bloodlust!?"

"... But isn't that precisely where our advantage lies?" Taniuchi whispered.

"Huh? What do you mean, Ichi?" Kawamoto asked, staring at her in confusion as Miku did the same.

"Miss Saeko is _not _normal, after all, we know what she's done."

They went quiet at that, troubled.

There were some things that a Yokai just didn't do, and that…

"But you both saw it, didn't you?" She continued onwards, with a shiver of her milky white scales. "Everything Shido said came as a surprise to her… that night must have bothered her as much as it bothers us. I have a feeling that Saeko does not quite remember what occurred that night, not to the extent of we who had to cover up the evidence."

"Oh… yeah." Miku said slowly. "If she doesn't remember what she did, it's gonna come as a huge surprise!" Her expression turned feral. "There's no way she wants the guys she's tryna seduce to find out how messed up she really is!"

"I've heard of that, people sometimes don't remember really nasty events that well... Huh, to think someone like that has a weak point." Kawamoto began. "We might actually be able to do this."

The girls exchanged slow and meaningful nods.

It was cruel to use such things against a woman, even one so unnatural and frightening as Saeko.

But any cruelty could be justified in the name of love.

* * *

Should she risk it?

Takashi had been east of her, and none of the passageways she'd found had led that way.

Normally, a Dungeon wouldn't be divided that way, unless Takashi had fallen directly into a dead-end there had to be _some _way to get to him.

Then again, these openings in the cliff face wouldn't be present if this had fully transformed into a Dungeon, a Dungeon might have an entrance and an exit separate from one another, but never more than that.

Well over a thousand years of Yokai knowledge from across the world confirmed that, and Saeko dearly hoped that her luck wasn't bad enough to find a Dungeon that was an exception to a thousand year rule.

But, she knew where these cliffs were, the north, and west faces of Shido's castle were backed by steep cliffs, with the ocean far below.

If she had been able to find Takashi, they could have scaled the cliff's walls and escaped.

Well, she didn't know if Takashi could make the climb (though she wouldn't be surprised), but worse come to worse, she was confident that she could make the climb with him on her back.

… It would be a little unfeminine of her, but… Takashi surely wouldn't judge her for that, right?

He _liked _when she displayed her combat strength, so perhaps he'd think her more reliable?

… And having their bodies pressed together would make the climb more enjoyable…

"Focus, you silly girl!" Saeko quietly hissed into her scarf.

Takashi was nowhere to be found, and here she was daydreaming!

She wanted to go back, to keep looking, but something told her it was futile.

Takashi might have already found his way out, the catacombs couldn't be _that _expansive, and she suspected that the proper exit was likely concealed within the town, or the nearby forest.

It would be just like Shido to have an escape route there, and, as a former Hero, she was sure Takashi had some experience with Dungeons and old ruins… not that he was really a former Hero, since he was definitely her Hero, and she really missed-

With a shake of her head and another frustrated hiss, Saeko stepped to the edge and let her tail unfurl, lashing up to stab into the stone.

Perks of being a Kunoichi, you always had a climbing tool when your tail could extend, pierce stone, and comfortably bear your entire body's weight.

With the ocean wind whipping through her hair and a cold weight gripping her heart, Saeko began to climb.

* * *

Saeko had been on his west side, and no matter where he went, he couldn't get west!

Dammit, dammit!

A fist smashed against a wall, and-

"... That echo was weird." Like the stone was thin.

"... Takashi, that's an awful idea." He told himself.

"Yeah, but do you really have the time to be messing around?" He replied back.

"No, but do I have time to be buried alive?" He shot back immediately.

"I don't think anyone has time for that."

"True, but the likelihood of you actually causing a collapse is pretty low, and…"

"Yeah, I mean, if I didn't cause a worse cave-in blindly digging us out of an actual cave-in, maybe my luck with this is sort of pretty good?"

Takashi shrugged.

"Also, you're worried about Saeko, caves bring up bad memories when you're alone, and if you don't work off some aggression with good old fashioned violence, the next Yokai you meet is gonna end up painted across the walls if she's not at least another Minotaur."

Takashi stopped, and considered his own words.

"Good point, me."

"Also, you like breaking things."

"... Now you're talking."

Takashi took a half-step back from the wall and cracked his knuckles.

* * *

She'd just heard something she couldn't ignore.

"-Should be the easiest way to lure Saeko out."

They were lying in wait for Takashi.

There had been no sign of him at the castle, at least, she'd guessed as much. Saeko had a feeling that Takashi causing trouble would be nearly impossible to ignore, and she doubted he'd be taken easily.

So she was confident that he hadn't made it out of the caverns, but if this was the exit he was most likely to leave from…

It was a good plan, Saeko could grudgingly admit.

Ambush Takashi as he left the exit, hopefully tired from battling his way out; use Takashi as leverage against her.

Saeko would happily surrender if she thought it would spare Takashi.

… This was foolish.

They clearly had no idea what they were dealing with, the one who was meant to supply information on Takashi was _her_, and so all the trio knew was that Takashi was physically strong.

They had no idea about Berserker.

Honestly, even if she did nothing, the trap had a good chance of back-firing, and if she timed it right she and Takashi could quite easily turn things around.

After all, the muscle of Shido's little operation was her… for anything serious that was.

He had human forces he could draw on, but they didn't live at the estate; Shido didn't trust human loyalty the same way he trusted Yokai loyalty.

But… Takashi could get hurt.

Fighting alongside Takashi was bliss, and side-by-side, she was confident they could handle anything.

… So why was the idea of having Takashi fight against Taniuchi, Miku and Kawamoto so unsettling to her?

She couldn't shake free that weight of dread that hung heavy from her shoulders.

But even more so than that, she had never had to listen to anyone plan to hurt the man she loved.

… So past the stress and the worry was a pure, savage fury dyeing her vision blood-red.

Quietly, Saeko dropped from the tree-branch and to the ground, and the forest held its breath in muted terror.

* * *

Okay, so maybe he hadn't thought that one through…

Saeko had sharp senses, so she'd definitely smell…

Jacket!

He could use his jacket, and then pretend he lost it in the caves!

… No, wait, what if she found his jacket before she found him?

Poor girl might have a heart attack if all she found was his blood-drenched jacket in a cave.

So, no using it as a rag to clean the blood off his knuckles before Saeko found him.

… Yeah okay, so the shortcut idea worked, because he'd found an opening in the cliff face and could climb out, but…

Unsurprisingly, he'd bled a lot punching through stone.

But he'd been right, it had been only a few inches thick, totally manageable…

Okay, so he wasn't doing great at being careful, but….

"Enough rambling dumbass." He muttered. "Get climbing, Saeko's probably already found her way out by now, girl really gets around when she wants to."

Mind made up, Takashi turned and leapt up towards the lip of the cave mouth.

"... The handhold is kinda… angular? No way that's natural…"

* * *

It was rare for Yokai to actually desire to harm one another, but not unheard of; truth be told, she almost _welcomed _it here.

Thus, when a near miss from Kawamoto's claws sliced her cheek open, the Nekomata was entirely unprepared for immediate retaliation.

Little specks of iron scented red flew from her lips as her slim body folded around Saeko's sandalled foot, right before the kick sent her hurtling across the clearing.

Expression impassive but blue eyes aglow, Saeko calmly twirled away from the bolt of azure lightning that seared through the space she'd just been occupying.

She leapt over the sweep of a massive, white-scaled tail, and Miku threw herself awkwardly aside as Saeko came down from her leap blade first.

Saeko had barely hit the ground when she was pouncing upon Miku, the hammerblow of Taniuchi's tail impacting the soil behind her as she kicked off the ground.

Miku, not quite off the ground, twisted awkwardly to face her, but the lightning fizzled in her surprise as Saeko went right past her.

That was a mistake.

Saeko was no Shirohebi, but her tail was dangerous in its own right.

Miku gave a shriek of surprise as the long, thin tail of a Kunoichi coiled around her arm, and then she was plucked off the ground as Saeko spun sharply, flinging the Raiju at Taniuchi.

To her surprise, Taniuchi's upper and lower body moved separately, over twenty feet of serpentine tail mowing the ground in a wide sweep, even as slender arms safely caught the hurled beast-girl.

Having leapt over the tail once more, Saeko settled lightly onto a branch that, by all rights, seemed too thin to bear her weight.

"... It didn't have to be this way." Taniuchi whispered, as she set Miku down on the ground.

"No, it didn't." Saeko agreed. "If Shido had been willing to keep our agreement, we could have parted amicably."

"Shido agreed to release you from service when you found a _husband_, not latched yourself onto some Stray Hero." Miku snapped.

"Humans don't fall in love as quickly as we do." Saeko calmly replies. "Courtship is important, but Takashi has already accepted me. Is it so unreasonable to wish for the chance to see if that can become something more?"

"He doesn't carry your scent at all. Have you two even had sex yet?" Kawamoto rasped out, brushing twigs and leaves from her clothes as she re-entered the clearing.

"That! … We have, but I've been restraining my Succubus Charm. Isn't that the reason?"

… They all caught the hint of fluster in her voice, all the more poignant because they hadn't known Saeko was _capable_ of being flustered.

"Or maybe he just doesn't care about you the way you care about him." Miku avoided the murderous glare by averting her gaze with forced casualness, even as it made her hair stand on end. "I mean, how can he love you when he doesn't even know you?"

"And what… is _that _supposed to mean?"

The trio froze as the lethal hiss slashed through the air like a blade.

"Y-you didn't tell him you killed Wakisaki!" Kawamoto blurted out. "So there's no way he knows how you did it!"

"... How I did it?" Saeko gave her a strange look.

"... So you really don't remember, do you?" Her blood-red eyes widened minutely as Taniuchi spoke.

"... Don't speak in riddles."

"Hah! She doesn't! I knew it!" Miku crowed. "You didn't just kill Wakisaki you crazy bitch!"

Saeko froze.

"You drank his blood! Drained him dry like a damn wine-skin!" Miku' grin was wide, sparks dancing erratically from her electric blue eyes.

"W-what!? You're lying, don't try to-!"

_They both stared in disbelief as crimson splattered the tatami. He, in pain and shock, and her at how…_

_**How wonderful it smelled.**_

"N-no! That c-can't… that can't be true!"

_The scent of iron was smothering her other senses, a wave of vertigo as bile splattered the soil, bile as red as-_

Saeko's vision swayed as her stomach flopped, a sound half-way between gagging and sobbing slipping between the hand clamped over her lips.

Nausea overtook her, and-

When the Kunoichi fell from the branch, but the muscular white tail of a Shirohebi was there to catch her.

* * *

… The gate was open…

Just a little ajar, like someone had slipped through it in a hurry.

Warily, Takashi eased it open a little more, peering into the courtyard to find it empty.

… This was more of Kohta's thing, but he could track, and any trail would be hours old at best…

And super obvious, like the winding path of flattened grass, leading into the woods.

If the Shirohebi had gone that way, there must have been a reason.

… He had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

The first fight she'd ever lost since she'd struck out on her own had been against a Lamia.

It had only been a spar that she'd requested, the serpentine woman had obviously been a warrior, and Saeko had been all too eager to test her skills.

She'd done well for herself, until a feint found her trapped in the Lamia's coils.

Saeko had been utterly helpless to escape, and her mana had been wrung from her body like water from a dish-cloth.

But this… this was far worse.

Saeko could feel her organs contorting, her bones grinding as Taniuchi's coils crushed her midsection, more of her length looping around the struggling Kunoichi to constrict her hips and thighs as well.

Breathless and in agony, Saeko had wasted her dwindling supply of air reaching for a katana far beyond her grasp, and the dagger that slipped from her bracer had skittered off scale as Taniuchi shook it from her grasp.

Even Saeko's tail was partially crushed, and at full length could do little more than slap its daggered head uselessly against snowy serpentine flesh.

"It will end more swiftly if you cease your _useless _struggling." Taniuchi whispered, her voice so very near but Saeko couldn't even think of lashing out.

_'... I'm… dying?'_

With no blade left to bring to bear, Saeko pushed and tugged at the crushing coils in desperation.

_'No! I can't! He hasn't… Takashi hasn't told me he-!_

Where was he, she promised not to leave him alone!

_'Takashi! Wait for me, I… I!'_

She knew she didn't deserve it, deserve _him_, but-

_'Please don't leave me!'_

She didn't want to be alone!

"_... Look on the bright side, though.'_

… Her crushed body refusing to listen to her any longer, Saeko stilled as the pressure took her straight past the breaking point.

'_At least this way…'_

Her vision shook wildly, and a garbled scream tumbled from her lips as something deep inside her body gave way with a wet, resonant _crunch._

'_**You'll never have the chance to hurt him.'**_

Like a puppet with its strings cut, Saeko shuddered once more and went limp.

* * *

Taniuchi shivered as Saeko's exposed upper body flopped awkwardly back, and the thrashing died down to weak twitches.

Had she gone too far?

She'd never…

But that sound, almost like she'd broken-

'_It hurts!?'_

Crushing, something was crushing her head it hurt it hurt!

Distantly, Taniuchi heard a squeal of agony as she thrashed and flailed, clawing in a panic at the things mercilessly squeezing her skull between them.

Far away, she could hear Miku and Kawamoto screaming as something slipped bonelessly from her writhing coils-

Then an odd feeling of total weightlessness, followed by darkness.

* * *

Yokai weren't very good at violence.

Seemed like a strange idea, given how surprisingly tough even the frailest of them could prove to be, but…

Takashi thought that was the truth.

After all, they had to make a conscious, _deliberate _effort to cause pain, let alone actual physical harm.

So in the rare cases where they deliberately attempted to harm another sentient being, they often went too far.

Ironically, that also meant that the ones more likely to go too far and cause serious harm were the _weaker _Yokai, the ones with less strength to restrain.

The ones like Oni and Minotaurs _had _to be good at restraining their strength, just like him.

Otherwise, even something as mundane as getting dressed could be difficult.

He could remember the early days of his Blessing, where he went through dozens of sets of clothing in a month, simply because he'd tear them to shreds with brute force, just trying to get dressed in the morning.

That had led to an embarrassing few months of being the oldest child at the orphanage not allowed to dress himself.

It was the same sort of deal here, and…

That snake woman had nearly outright _killed_ Saeko.

The Shirohebi's coils had snapped her spine, partially _crumbled_ her hip bones, and with all that discoloration, Takashi didn't even want to know what kind of state Saeko's organs were in.

Saeko was just lucky that she was so much tougher than the average Succubus, and, he suspected, the average Kunoichi as well.

After all, better physical abilities aside, Kunoichi weren't really built for direct confrontations.

But that aside, Saeko was also lucky, that…

He could still save her.

… Or maybe unlucky, given what he was about to do to her?

…

Both.

It was both.

* * *

_It was like the mountain was roaring, furious at their intrusion._

_To this day, he never could remember why the cave-in happened._

… _If there even was a reason._

_He just remembered waking up in a darkness that didn't hinder his eyes at all, the only sound that of flesh twisting and bone snapping back into place._

… _Damn, he'd gotten pretty messed up this time, huh?_

_Took a lot for Berserker to amp up his vision like this._

_Well, he was pretty lucky that he'd just gotten 'pretty messed up', considering he'd tried to use his body to shield his friends from a mountain trying to fall on their heads._

_His friends, who-_

"_Rei!? Saya!? Kohta!"_

_Still, so still, so quiet…_

_Her legs, crushed beneath stone, his face a mask of crimson, and-_

_No._

_No!_

_Nononono!_

_Okay, so he panicked._

_Pulling the stone off of -__**out of**__\- Rei just made the bleeding worse, and yeah, pressing his hands over the gaping hole in her stomach to plug the leak was probably an incredibly stupid idea. Especially since Berserker prioritized lethal wounds, so the fingers he didn't know were broken, were… well, still broken, but, in his defense…._

_It was working._

_It was working!?_

_Takashi nearly fell over as the tattered flesh at the edge of Rei's wound began to stretch inwards, and the ruptured flesh beneath began to reform, until-_

_Several things happened at once._

_The still unconscious Rei bared her teeth in a feral snarl, his fingers finished healing, and…_

_The healing of Rei's wound stopped._

"_... Huh?" _

_Wait, no, why did it stop, why did!?_

_..._

… _No way._

_Maybe he was still a little messed up, but…_

_That was crazy._

… _Berserker was crazy._

_He was crazy._

_That thought out of the way, and all the smart people in the room down for the count, Takashi stretched his arm out towards the stone that had skewered Rei, and-_

_Ripped his flesh open, from wrist to elbow._

_Idly noting that having no ability to feel pain was actually kind of handy, Takashi lifted his gushing wound over Rei's prone body, and-_

… _He never did tell them what had happened, before they woke up._

_He hadn't lied to them at all though, when he admitted that most of the blood was his._

… _He was probably lucky that no one had the leeway to wonder __**why**__._

* * *

In the darkness of the caverns where he'd hidden them after…

Overreacting a little, to finding Saeko nearly snapped in two by some snake bitch, Takashi let his gaze sweep around the small cave, eyes roving a darkness not nearly as dark as it should be.

… He needed something sharp, but… all he could find was a jagged edge to the uneven wall.

Takashi gave a sardonic little chuckle as a macabre sort of nostalgia filled him.

Pressing his arm to the wall, he pressed hard and dragged his arm across, ripping it open upon the jagged stone.

Clamping his other hand down to keep his slowly closing wound from gushing too much hot blood onto cold stone, Takashi made his way over to the weakly breathing, broken body upon the ground.

"... I really hope she forgives me for this, because wow, am I really just starting to figure out, that…"

There was an ache in his chest that just wouldn't go away.

"_**I'm really scared of being alone."**_

* * *

**One thing I've been having a lot of fun with is mirroring the inner thoughts of characters, or showing the same events from different perspectives.**

**But speaking of similarities, isn't it odd that Berserker made even an unconscious Rei show aggression, when Takashi poured his blood onto her? What else in the story might that remind you of?**

**And if you don't think healing someone by ripping your body open to bleed on them is metal as fuck, I don't think there's any helping you.**

**This is the first chapter that doesn't have any sexual content. Bear with me, because next chapter's gonna be hot. After all, this story arc is probably one of the most important for Saeko.**


	7. Goddess of Violence

**Aight, it's time for some good old fashioned violence. The sexy kind of violence.**

**I'm not going to put it in the chapter because that breaks immersion, but there's a particular scene focusing on Saeko where you should probably queue up her theme on Youtube for maximum effect.**

**I feel like it will be pretty **

**Obvious**

**When it's being led up to.**

* * *

Saeko dreamed of bliss.

Warm and thick, pouring past her lips in liquid form as she drank it down in greedy, desperate gulps.

She dreamed of inhaling deeply through her nose, of the air heavy with it the heady, familiar tang of iron.

And so that pang of fear, when the flow of that lovely, burning nectar began decreasing felt _wholly_ justified.

Fixing it was a simple matter, though; it just seemed like the thing to do to bite down, hard as she could, tearing with her teeth until the hot liquid gushed once more into her mouth, the intoxicating scent of iron overwhelming her senses.

The warmth pouring down her throat was lighting a fire low in her belly, blazing hotter and hotter until the embers grew into an inferno.

When the heat boiled over and painted her blurry vision white, Saeko was left shuddering and cold, but with the sudden release came clarity, and with clarity came understanding.

The source of her bliss was a slim, sinewy wrist, painted crimson as her teeth sunk deeper.

The _owner _of the wrist was Takashi, but the hands keeping the limb pressed tightly against her lips?

Those, those were her own.

* * *

Saeko awoke with a familiar name, torn from her lips with a ragged scream.

Something caught her, and she struggled in a blind panic, desperate to get to Takashi, to stop the bleeding, _to sink her teeth in and_-

"Saeko!"

The next thing she knew, Saeko was wrapped up in a pair of strong arms, her head pressed against a lean, sturdy chest as a familiar rhythm echoed in her ears.

… The muffled rhythm of a beating heart.

Of…

"... T-Takashi? Is… is that you?"

"Yeah, Saeko. It's me. I'm here now. You're safe."

Slowly, her arms lifted to wrap themselves around Takashi's body, tightly in an effort to ensure her senses weren't simply playing tricks on her.

"... I had the most awful dream." She whispered. "I… I hurt you. It… wasn't true, was it?"

"No." Takashi answered back, almost immediately.

"I… I bit you… I… I think I… drank your..."

Her blood went cold as she felt Takashi's flinch.

"... Takashi? It's not true, is it? T-tell me it's not true."

"... I didn't have any other choice."

"No other choice? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can't use magic." Takashi explained.

When that didn't serve to explain anything, before he knew it, the words were tumbling from his lips in a tangled mess.

"Well, I can't use- I mean, at least not well enough to… you were dying, Saeko. I can… I can pass on a bit of my Blessing, with my, you know, blood. Kind of." Takashi rambled. "But you were really hurt, and blood is full of mana, and you're a Yokai, so I thought maybe it would work better if you… you know, 'ingested' it?"

… Admittedly, Takashi didn't actually feel the impact.

But it hurt like hell when Saeko shoved him across the room, with enough force that, for a brief instant he was airborne.

Slowly, Takashi pushed himself up off the floor. "... Saeko?" His voice sounded so weak, so hesitant that for a moment, Takashi imagined it was someone else speaking.

"How could you!?" Saeko shouted, eyes narrowed in equal parts fear and fury. "I could have hurt you! What if- what if I couldn't stop in time, you could have died!"

"No, you- I mean, I trust you." Takashi immediately replied, even as he tried to make sense of what she had just said.

… What exactly was she angry about?

"But you _shouldn't_." Saeko hissed back.

Takashi went still, the ache in his chest forgotten as he stared at her in confusion.

With a dark little smirk curling her lips, Saeko said the words she was certain he'd never be able to forget.

_**"Because I didn't stop the last time."**_

* * *

She'd forgotten how to breath.

She'd forgotten how to open the eyes she'd slammed tightly shut.

"... And what's that supposed to mean, Saeko?"

Her frozen heart remembered how to move, just in time to begin pounding wildly in her chest.

"... You heard me, Takashi." A raspy voice she could hardly recognize whispered into the still cavern air.

"You're not the first person whose blood I've tasted. You're just the first person to survive."

Takashi didn't say anything back, but he didn't need to.

It was too late for her to stop.

"All Kunoichi dream of it." Saeko began, a measure of calm returning as she accepted that the point of no return had long since passed her by.

"Sent out by your clan on an 'assassination', to find and seduce your target… among us Kunoichi, it's practically a courtship ritual. Of course, 'assassination' isn't meant to be literal, it simply refers to how we eventually spirit away our new husband, retiring to our hidden village with him at our side."

Saeko chuckled, eyes still firmly shut.

"My mission led to me being exiled from the village… I was taken in by… that man, not long after. A Kunoichi without a master was a tempting proposition, and Shido even quietly covered up the incident… the failure that led to my exile. After all, Shido needed power, Shido needed intimidation, and what was better than a Kunoichi who'd failed her mission by achieving it in a _literal fashion_?"

Another painful chuckle.

"Yokai aren't supposed to be _violent, _but when they are, something changes about them. Some animal part of the brain whispers to your kind that what you're seeing is a _real monster_." Saeko explained, missing entirely the sound of gritting teeth.

"Having such a horrid thing at his back meant Shido always had the _final _say in any argument, even before my blade was drawn."

Saeko briefly cracked open one eye, scanning his still face, closing them with a tiny, oddly smug smile when she was apparently satisfied by what she found.

"After all, the part of my mission that went wrong was the part where no one actually died."

_She had been so hungry._

"Wakisaki Okada. That was the name of my 'target'. He was a weapons merchant, highly successful, and… well-known for being all too happy to offer a discount when the weapons he sold were intended to aim towards the Yokai." Saeko retold.

"He'd made plenty of enemies, not just among Yokai, but humans as well. Someone in dire need of both a protector, and, the elders felt, a shift in perspective."

_But it didn't matter, because all she had to do was complete her duty and then, just maybe..._

"It was, surprisingly easy, to maneuver him right where I wanted him. A bribe of fine sake, to orchestrate a timely rescue from a Red Oni by a swordsman's daughter with more dreams than sense. A night in an inn, sharing a drink and a meal with his rescuer, both of us feigning interest in the words of the other."

_-Just maybe everything would make sense._

"A young woman unused to having a good man's attention… nor holding her drink."

_She should have been more careful._

"I tried to tell myself I was just nervous, and that's why I wasn't as nearly in the mood as he was."

_She could smell the wine on his breath, watch the heat spread across his cheeks as his eyes undressed her._

"I told myself that I wouldn't have minded if he really did take the lead, and that if he didn't, I would."

_It was what she was supposed to want._

"Everything was going so well, so well that I almost couldn't believe it."

_She supposed his smile was meant to be charming, as he pushed the small tea table aside and beckoned her closer._

"But something too good to be true, often is."

_He was handsome enough, so perhaps if she'd been a normal girl, a proper Succubus, it would have been what she'd hoped it would be._

"I was so close to achieving what I wanted more than anything."

_She could practically taste his breath on her lips when the heat of the room vanished, leaving something cold and empty in its wake._

"And every second of it made me want to vomit."

_Disgusting._

Saeko's chuckle was almost nostalgic in tone.

_Vile._

"I remember thinking 'no, this can't be right'." She recalled. "'No, this isn't how it's supposed to be'."

_How dare you._

Saeko's soft smile turned into a feral grin.

_How dare you make me feel this way._

"If it was his fault that everything felt so wrong, then it just seemed to make sense to punish him for it."

Saeko chuckled again, and the second time, it reminded Takashi of a string pulled too tight, vibrating with tension and ready to snap.

"It just made so much sense to _hurt _him for it."

_She couldn't quite understand what she was seeing, at first._

… _Where had the dagger in her hand come from?_

… _Whose blood dripped from the blade?_

… _And, more importantly…_

_What was that lovely scent?_

Saeko shivered, wrapping her arms around herself and rubbing her hands up and down her biceps, as if to get the blood flowing once more.

"I… I cut him. I slashed his forearm to the bone before I even realized I'd drawn my dagger." Saeko told him.

"It was… _fascinating_, the way the blood trickled from the wound, the way the flickering candles made the droplets of blood glisten, the way his eyes…"

Saeko took a deep breath, and opened her eyes as she smiled his way.

"The way his eyes widened in _fear_."

_A whimper spilled from his lips as she gripped his arm with both hands, staring into his eyes as she brought the wound up to her lips, and ran her tongue across it._

"And it… the blood just smelled so _good!_ It made me feel just so _hungry _it nearly drove me insane! The way he was too scared to even scream when I held the wound to my lips and _drank his blood_ made me feel so alive!" Saeko cried out, voice rising into a half-shout as her smile stretched wide.

"... I don't know if it was the sounds I was making, or the feeling of the blood beings sucked out of his body that snapped him out of his daze." Saeko mused, tapping a finger to her lips innocently, as if her earlier outburst had been all a lie.

"He tried to scream, I mean, wouldn't anyone, but I wasn't about to let him ruin the- I wasn't about to let him interfere."

_She'd never realized how weak humans really were._

"It didn't do him any good. In an instant I'd pinned him down, gagged him with… something, I guess." Saeko said. "And that's when it really hit me. I could do anything I wanted to him, and there wasn't a thing he could do to stop me. That sort of thing is normal, I suppose, most _monsters _love that feeling of _power_, of _control_."

Saeko shivered again, but the way her cheeks flushed and her hips wriggled suggested it had little to do with the cold.

"Pressed up against him, that's when I heard it." Saeko recounted. "A dull, muffled sort of thumping sound. My head was right up against his neck, close enough that I could hear the blood pulsing through his jugular, almost _see _the way it pumped the blood through his body. He went so very still, when I pressed my lips against it."

Her voice dropped to a distant whisper.

"For a moment, it was as if that pounding vein was the only thing that moved in all the world." Saeko smiled again, a gentle, fragile thing. "And so I sunk my teeth in, and that lovely red stained my whole world with its color."

"It was…" Saeko hesitated for a moment, searching for the word.

"It was bliss." The word drifted out in a hushed, almost reverent whisper.

"Absolute, total pleasure. The way his hot blood sprayed against my face, faster than I could drink it down, the way he writhed uselessly beneath my body, the muffled screams past the gag that grew weaker with every second… until they stopped entirely."

Saeko's eyes met his, and a wild grin stretched across her face.

"I loved it! It was like nothing I'd ever felt, no experience even came close until-" She cut herself off so suddenly that her teeth clacked together.

For a moment that could have lasted seconds or an entire lifetime, the stillness of the cave was disturbed only by the shallow panting of her breath, and the heaving of her chest as her lungs worked to reclaim that breath.

"After that, it didn't take all that long for the village to discover what I'd done." Saeko continued quietly, her gaze dropping away from his, her bangs shielding her eyes. "Turns out, an acolyte like me has an overseer keeping an eye on them, staying out of the way unless their intervention was needed."

The way she sounded so tired, so _lifeless _when she laughed was really grating on his nerves.

"You know, it's not entirely unheard of for a Kunoichi to be forced to kill on the job, for one reason or another." Saeko informed him. "But _cold-blooded murder_? That was a new one, apparently. Normally, for a truly heinous crime I'd be sealed away, my soul trapped, well, until further notice, I suppose you could say."

Saeko's eyes shot up to meet his own, and that awful smile returned.

"But she- the overseer- couldn't do it, couldn't _bear _the thought of having to be in my presence long enough to drag me home!" Saeko declared, self-mockery dripping from every syllable.

"Takashi, I was banished, exiled because my presence couldn't be _tolerated _long enough to make the punishment any worse!" Saeko leapt to her feet, one hand to her chest as the other swept out, her voice rising in volume with every word. "Don't you get it!? I'm the wrong kind of monster! That's why I don't care about… whatever it is that haunts you, because the worst thing haunting you is _me_!"

As that last word echoed through the cave, all the strength seemed to drain from her body, leaving Saeko to fold in on herself, never having quite looked so small, or so fragile.

Someone took in a deep, shuddering breath.

"It was fun while it lasted, Takashi." Saeko exhaled softly. "But I… I can't do this anymore. Being with you has been like a dream come true, but it's only a matter of time before it turns into a nightmare. I… wish I could say I was sorry, about what I've done, but I can't. Because I'm not. But I…"

_I don't want to leave you._

Saeko lifted her head to smile at him, and took one step back.

_But I couldn't bear to hurt you either._

"You're the one person I could never forgive myself for hurting. So this is… this is goodbye."

_Please don't try to stop me._

She took one step back, and another.

Belatedly, it occurred to Saeko that that whole time, Takashi hadn't said a word.

It was for the best.

If Takashi said anything, anything at all, she wouldn't be able to leave him.

If he had so much as reached her way, she would have leapt into his arms and begged him to never let her go.

But she had almost made it to the opening of the cave, one single step from the long tunnel, when she remembered one more thing, far, far too late to make any difference.

She had forgotten how fast Takashi could move…

_**When he was angry.**_

* * *

Saeko's vision blurred in a nauseating fashion as she found herself hauled back into the room, and then across it in a single heartbeat.

There was a deep, resonant crunch as she felt the wall give way against her back, but that distant, hopeful spark of delight at Takashi breaking stone with her body without breaking _her_ was promptly smothered.

Sharp brown burning brighter and brighter until the gaze searing her with its fury boiled into a pulsing, volcanic orange.

Gleaming white teeth, bared like fangs in an enraged snarl.

Strong hands gripping her collar so tightly it was a wonder they hadn't torn it from her body.

Part of her was very much aroused, she remembered with aching clarity the first time she'd seen how _dominant _he could be.

… The rest of the ache, then, was from her heart; all that rage pointed towards her left Saeko feeling like she was drowning, that everything truly had, at last, fallen apart.

"T-Takashi?"

"Shut up." He snarled back. "Do you really think I'm gonna let you walk away that easily, after everything you said?"

Her breath caught in her throat for a moment as that flame of rage grew hotter still, until she…

Gave up.

There was nothing to be done.

She couldn't, wouldn't fight Takashi like this.

The joy she'd once found in that idea felt so distant; if fighting Takashi meant one of them would die, she'd rather slit her own throat right here.

Takashi's eyes widened slightly as she relaxed in his grip, a gentle, accepting smile on her face.

'_I won't blame you.' _She wanted to say. '_Go on Hero… the monster you should slay is right in front of you. It's okay, Takashi… if it has to end this way, I… you're better off without me..'_

Taking a slow, deep breath to calm herself, Saeko opened her mouth to speak, to say goodbye?

Honestly, she didn't know, and she would never have the chance to find out.

Then the bestial rage returned to those molten eyes, and her last words were forced right back down her throat as Takashi lashed out without warning.

"MMmph-!?" Her vision went white as an indescribable warmth crashed roughly against her lips, and Saeko writhed against the wall as those same lips were forced open, and her mouth ruthlessly invaded.

Through the haze clouding her senses, Saeko heard herself give a needy, desperate whine of protest as the warmth withdrew, only for Takashi's lips to aggressively claim hers once again, his body all but crushing hers against the wall as he pressed in.

Her flailing hands found purchase against his back in the form of tight fistfuls of his shirt, and Takashi drank down another of her muffled moans when a knee pried open her thighs.

The taut muscles of his leg ground against the wet heat he found there, forcing Saeko's heels from the ground.

Monstrous instinct urged her to reciprocate the pleasure she was feeling, but, just like their first night, Takashi wasn't having any of it.

If her tongue tried to tangle with his, it was wrestled down as his own lashed around her mouth, if she tried to move her body, Takashi would press against her more tightly.

Soon, her hands could do little more than cling to his shirt as his thigh rubbed against her clothed slit.

Eventually, even her weak attempts to reciprocate were more than she could handle, and so Saeko quietly gave in once more, entrusting her body to Takashi in a silent display of submission.

He didn't allow that, either.

Saeko grunted as Takashi broke the kiss, seizing her wrists and slamming them into the wall, forcing them up beside her head.

Takashi's lips slammed against hers hard enough she thought they'd cut their lips on each other's teeth.

And Saeko couldn't begin to describe the rush of excitement when she discovered that was exactly what he'd done; the iron of blood intermingled with warm saliva as Takashi's tongue ravished her mouth.

It was all too much at once.

That last little knot of tension came undone, and her muscles clenched for an entirely different reason as that familiar heat raged out of control.

The sound of her breath coming out in shallow, ragged pants filled the air as Takashi broke the kiss without warning, but, even before she could process the loss of sensation, Takashi was moving furiously once more.

His leg between hers was forcing her up on her toes, the aching buds of her breasts were being squashed against the hard muscle of his chest, and-

Saeko threw her head back with a scream as Takashi bit down on the junction of neck and shoulder, just hard enough to _hurt_, bucking wildly against him as release scattered her senses.

Takashi kept her upright with the press of their bodies, and his grip on her arms, as her legs buckled, molten orange watching her impassively as the wide eyes of the Kunoichi stared back in bewilderment.

"W-w-what… what are you…!?" Saeko gasped, chest heaving as she struggled to speak.

All of her many questions evaporated like mist when Takashi spoke.

"I don't care."

Saeko winced, her expression falling.

"A-about… about what?"

"What you've done."

"What!? Takashi, I told you I _murdered _someone, I told you I practically _ate _one of your kind!" Saeko snapped back.

"Yep." Takashi nodded. "Who knows, maybe he deserved it, and maybe he didn't. Maybe you only did it because you were starving yourself, maybe you would have done it anyways."

The way he said it made it sound like it wasn't really his problem.

"And you're fine with that!?" Saeko pushed against him, but Takashi kept her pinned without a hint of effort.

"Nope. It was wrong, and you should probably be punished for it."

The callous way he said it shut her up in an instant.

"Fortunately, it's kind of a Hero's job to punish monsters, so I've already figured out what your punishment is."

Saeko stared at him for a while before relaxing, a tired smile on her face.

Whatever his decision, she wouldn't resist.

After all, she was so very much in-

"Which is me, by the way."

"... Huh?"

"Your punishment; it's me. No matter how you beg and plead, you're stuck with me forever. I'll never let you be free again."

… Punishment!?

What kind of punishment was-

… Did that mean she could...?

"Why… why would you…"

"Well, I suppose I could say that I think you've suffered enough already, since the bit about not feeling sorry was a total lie, and you've punished yourself ever since." Takashi began, casually shredding through her earlier falsehoods.

"And I suppose it's true that the things you've done won't go away, no matter how much you're punished." His voice dropped to little more than a murmur, almost like he was speaking to himself instead of her. "The things we've done don't ever go away."

As those last words set off alarm bells in her mind, Saeko opened her mouth…

Only to be cut off once more.

"But, none of those are quite the right answer. Actually, it's pretty simple, when I think about it."

… Like the sun shining after the storm passed, a smile that made her heart skip several beats bloomed across Takashi's face, and he answered both her spoken and unspoken question with a single sentence.

"It's because I'm in love with you."

Saeko gasped as a rush of heat set her cheeks ablaze and made her heart pound wildly.

"That's not fair… if you say something like that then, then I won't be able to..."

Takashi leaned in again, and Saeko forgot what it was she was meaning to say as the need to close the distance between their lips, even one second sooner, overtook her.

* * *

A husky gasp spilled from her lips as Saeko's bare breasts mashed against the cold stone of the wall.

It might have hurt if she was human, but for Saeko, it just made the pink little crowns of her breasts stiffen with arousal.

Another chill hit as her damp panties were torn away in a single rough motion, and Saeko moaned, low in her throat as he pressed against her, and _into _her in one rough thrust.

Almost of its own accord, her tail reached up and wrapped possessively around his waist, the only part of her that could return his embrace in a position like this.

Strong hands gripped her hips so tightly that she imagined their shape forever engraved into her skin, and her knees buckled inwards as he pulled almost all the way out and then slammed back in, her eyes rolling back as a heady scream echoed across the walls.

Saeko's fingers pressed weakly against the wall as his heat filled her again and again, incoherent moans and blissful gasps of _his _name tumbling endlessly from her slovenly open mouth, a thin line of drool trickling from the corner of her lips as he thrust into her relentlessly.

Then, as if solely to prove that yes, it could get even better, he pressed against her more forcibly, and in a whisper like thunder from a distant sky, offered her three words that she took and carved upon her heart forever more.

… Even as she returned them.

* * *

It was much later when they emerged from the depths of the earth, out of the darkness and into the moonlight.

But, even as they walked arm in arm, savoring one another's touch, they walked secure in the knowledge that, no matter the distance, they would never _truly _be apart.

* * *

"... Weren't you all worried that you almost killed her?"

It wasn't as if Taniuchi had _intended _to kill the Kunoichi, even if a small part of her thought it might have been for the best.

It just wasn't in the nature of Yokai to kill unless there was no other choice.

But…

"Well, it would seem she is fine now." She suggested lightly, even as her mind raced.

"Fine!? I've never seen Saeko _that _fine!" Kawamoto yelled.

The Kunoichi giggled, _giggled_, at the outburst, a confident sway in her step that only ever meant one thing when it came to a Succubus, or any other Yokai really.

Hours prior, the Kunoichi's body had been all but shattered, and the reason they had not pursued was simply because there was _no reason to_.

There should have been no way to recover from that, if the Hero had been a gifted healer, the rumors would have spoken of that, over his sheer brute strength.

After all, in a land where Oni roamed the hills, brutes weren't exactly _rare_.

But Miss Saeko was not simply healed, the Kunoichi was practically _overflowing_ with life, her mana like a beacon in the dark.

Whatever the Hero had done to her, it had most certainly worked.

And, by the tiny, radiant smile tugging at her glossy lips, Miss Saeko had enjoyed every single second of it.

Taniuchi wouldn't have been all that surprised to see the Kunoichi limping for reasons that had nothing to do with the wounds she'd inflicted.

Her and Kawamoto were both wondering the same thing.

Did the Hero know?

If so, why was he still at Saeko's side?

… He didn't carry the scent of her mana, a Yokai could _always _tell when a human had been claimed by another of her kind, and this Hero simply remained…

Unmarked.

Miku, however, wanted the answer to a different question entirely, and the two of them cringed as their sister-wive's malicious, sing-song tone broke the silence.

"Aw, you brought your boyfriend with you for a rematch?" Miku taunted, though the tightness in her smile suggested that, for once, she had successfully read the mood.

"Hmm?" Saeko tilted her head in curiosity. "Ah, no, no, of course not." She assured them. "If I did that…"

Saeko smiled, and the temperature of the courtyard plummeted.

* * *

_What did one call a dream, if the dream didn't end when you opened your eyes?_

_For the first time, slipping from Takashi's side, removing his hand from her own, didn't bring with it that tiny pang of fear._

_The worry that if she let him go, she would never have another chance to hold him seemed so distant._

_The courtyard of Shido's modestly sized castle was the widest at the front; you could fit a small army in there with relative comfort._

_She could cross that distance in seconds._

_Hmm? What was Miku saying? No, of course Takashi wasn't going to join in, if he did that-_

_**"It just wouldn't be fair at all."**_

* * *

Saeko smiled to herself as even the night itself held its breath, the world completely, utterly silent as her thumb loosened her sword in its scabbard.

The breeze remembered how to move once more, and Saeko's blade flew from its sheath as her body rocketed forwards, like an arrow from a bow, and left the wind far, far behind.

Taniuchi and Miku called upon their respective elements, managing a single shot each before she was upon them, and Saeko twirled lightly on her heels without slowing at all.

Etched in sharp purple, her gleaming blade danced savagely through the air.

A hammering stream of water became a pleasant mist against her skin, and searing lightning scattered into a shower of sparks that made the tingle against her skin match the tingling coming from… a little deeper in the body.

Then she was among them, pausing her momentum just enough that when her sword swept beneath Kawamoto's arm and spilled her mana into the air, the Nekomata's claws raked harmlessly through empty space, inches from her nose.

The Nekomata stumbled with a low groan, and Saeko went right past her without slowing, sliding gracefully beneath the massive horizontal arc of the Shirohebi's tail, sliding the edge of her blade along the scales as she went, drawing a pained hiss from Taniuchi.

Crackling with blue lightning, a long leg, exposed save for the sandal on the foot, came slamming down towards her head in a vicious heel drop that would have scrambled her brain, lightning or not.

If it hit, that was, but Saeko went right around Miku's attack in a graceful twirl, slipping one hand from the hilt of her sword to backhand the Raiju at the base of the skull.

She could have taken Miku entirely out of the fight if she'd struck with the pommel of her sword instead, but she didn't want to end the fight so quickly.

_After all, __**he**_ _was watching._

Kawamoto found her reentry to the fight stalled by Miku's body, folded in half and hurled by the force of Saeko's scything leg.

_She hadn't realized how __**good**_ _it could feel._

A howling torrent of water that would have launched her over the castle walls erupted from the ground.

_Saeko had never realized what she actually wanted._

She divided it down the middle with one slice, and laughed at the sheer disbelief on Taniuchi's face.

_This, this was it._

Up and over coils, like a fish through a river's current.

'_This is me.'_

Had Saeko wanted to kill the Shirohebi, the blade she rammed between her eyes and yanked upwards would have bared the contents of her skull to the night air.

_She wanted someone to see her._

Instead, she used the flopping coils of Taniuchi as a springboard, going up and over Miku's lightning bolt, and pinning the Raiju's head between stone and heel as she smashed her into the ground.

'_This is me!'_

Sparks flew convulsively as the Raiju's body spasmed into unconsciousness.

'_Don't you dare look away!'_

She twisted with a grin on her face as Kawamoto pounced upon her, smashing her off of Miku's still form and taking her off her feet, even as she twisted her body beneath the Nekomata.

'_Please, don't look away!'_

Her grin widened sadistically and her pulse quickened as Kawamoto stared _up _at her in disbelief, unable to fathom how _she_ had ended up hitting the ground first, with Saeko straddling _her_. But, more importantly…

_**His**_ _eyes had remained fixed on her without missing so much as a single second._

Biting her lip, Saeko plunged her sword down, skewering Kawamoto and pinning her in place as the mana of the Nekomata erupted into the air like a geyser.

_He could see her, he could really __**see**_ _her, and he still wanted her, he wasn't afraid!_

He wanted… her! S-she was-

'_This is too good!'_

Breathing hard for reasons that had nothing to with the effort she'd put in, Saeko tightened her own grip on the handle of her sword, and smiled down at the struggling Nekomata.

'_T-Takashi, I'm-!'_

It was too much at once. With _his _gaze transfixed by the sight of her at her most real, her most alive, and the body of the defeated _squirming_ beneath her, Saeko was left burning with a thrilling, blissful heat that had nowhere else to go but _out_.

'_Ah~! I'm going to-!'_

Overcome by the whirlwind of sensation, Saeko ended the fight with a twist of her blade, and her head thrown back in a blissful scream of release.

"_**YESSS!"**_

* * *

When there was no sound left but the quiet sound of a Saeko's breath coming in in shallow, husky gasps of satisfaction, only then did Takashi have the presence of mind to pick his jaw up off the floor.

Catching the breath that _he'd _been holding in the whole time, though?

… Work in progress.

Still straddling the Nekomata's unconscious body, Saeko had her head tilted up towards the cloudless sky, glossy lips parted slightly, and the moon's glow infusing her flawless pale skin.

Takashi found his eyes naturally following tiny, silvery trails of sweat as they trailed down the delicate curve of her collarbone, before disappearing into the valley of her breasts, exposed by the deep neckline of her clinging top.

Then Saeko's gaze lowered and turned to meet his, and for a moment, his world was nothing but the beaming smile upon her face.

Transfixed though he was, Takashi keenly heard the pleased giggle that spilled from her lips as she noticed her reaction, but when the radiant smile twisted into a sultry smirk, Takashi gulped, so loudly he almost imagined the sound had an echo.

Saeko rose slowly to her feet, and, even as his eyes drank in every sinuous motion, every subtle tense and stretch of corded muscle beneath soft skin, and every enticing, feminine jiggle and bounce, Takashi's concerns slipped momentarily to the forefront as he scanned her for injury.

Finding Saeko just as overflowing with vitality as she had been when she stepped on to the moonlit battlefield, Takashi allowed his razored senses to relax, that unseen edge softening ever so slightly.

Takashi had always been a little afraid of fighting.

Not of what could happen to him, or even the people he cared about, but what he could _do_, the damage he could wrought if he let himself go, embraced the thrill of the fight, the way his blood sang the song of battle with only the slightest prompting.

But watching Saeko fight, watching Saeko let herself go and _live _the fight, that, that he could enjoy, no…

'Enjoy' seemed too weak a word.

Watching Saeko lose herself to the fight was something miraculous, something sacred and irresistible.

Forget the demon she was in reality, to Takashi in that moment, she was like a goddess, descending upon the battlefield to grace it with her presence, to elevate the fury and chaos into the realm of beauty and art.

Takashi chuckled to himself as Saeko sauntered slowly his way, and again at the way the sound made her eyes brighten.

If she was a goddess, she wasn't something sweeping in scope like War, or even Combat.

She was no Bishamonten, no Ares on her lofty throne of iron.

No, this was something more personal, more primal and intimate, and not just because this 'goddess' had only one worshipper, zealous though he might be feeling right about now.

… Ah, that was it.

Saeko wasn't _a _goddess, she was _his _goddess.

His very own goddess of… _violence._

* * *

As Saeko reached him, she pressed into him, a happy shudder coursing through her as Takashi's arms wrapped around her in a movement so natural, it was if he'd done it a thousand times.

She couldn't suppress the giddiness that welled up inside as it occurred to her that they could make that number a reality… and then go right past it.

Instead, she lowered her head, resting it against his shoulder as the warmth of Takashi drove away the lonely chill of the night.

"Neh, Takashi?" She murmured against him.

"Yeah?"

"You meant what you said… right?"

Takashi gently lifted her head, cupping her cheeks with both hands and staring deeply into her eyes.

As the tiny bit of distance vanished, and their lips met, Saeko decided she liked his answer just fine.

* * *

Lady Luck was smiling, but Shido had the distinct impression that she wasn't smiling at him.

When the girls had caught the scent of bloodstained flowers upon the wind, they had immediately ushered him to escape, promising that they would find him the instant they were sure it was safe.

With no time to fool their senses with his illusions, Shido had offered them each a quick, 'passionate' kiss for luck, and slipped into the underground escape route that would take him through the catacombs and out into the wilds.

Only, something had changed, _shifted _somewhere down there in the gloom, and the last passage between himself and freedom, a door of Demon Silver, ensorcelled to appear as a harmless extension of the natural tunnel on the other side, was _blocked_.

It would open only a few scant inches outwards before halting with a rattling clunk, the tunnel on the other side must have collapsed, but _how_?

Dammit all!

He couldn't force his way through, even with the one good thing about the wretched Incubus body, he still lacked the brute strength necessary, and it wasn't as if the rubble would accept _negotiations_!

He hadn't had a choice in becoming a filthy Incubus, but at least the powers he'd received had had their uses!

He was sure his 'father' would laugh if he could see, if he could bring himself to lift his head from his bed and his Yokai _whores _long enough to notice anything beyond animal pleasure!

Dammit all!

No, at least those… _women _of his father's would be of use, his father had bonded with powerful Yokai the likes of Blue Oni and Ochimusha, and they had always doted on their 'precious little son'.

As if it wasn't their fault he was cursed with this wretched, _lust-driven _body, even as they treated him as if he was their own blood, they had corrupted him, warped him with their very presence!

No Yokai would lay their hands on a child, but the constant _proximity_ of half a dozen powerful Yokai was enough to infect him, once his father's holdings had become a Demon Realm in earnest.

Barely into his third decade, and he'd spent nearly two of those decades as an Incubus!

And yet, for all their promises, all their professions of maternal love, where were they when he needed them!?

Where-!?

… Out of time, huh?

Shido gave a weary sigh, etching the smile back onto his face as he turned to greet a set of vacant eyes, accompanied by a beast-like grin.

Shadowed by a demon that smelled of blood and flowers.

It was obvious what had happened, and just as obvious that the time for talking had long since passed.

As his eyes swept across the bestial visage of the Hero, Shido gave a tired chuckle as the last piece of the puzzle fell into place.

"... It was over from the moment I sent Miss Saeko in your direction, wasn't it?"

He couldn't talk his way out of this.

"It seems I was a bit greedy, doesn't it?"

Negotiation required people willing to speak, willing to listen.

"Perhaps, I should have contented myself with the ownership of one unsheathed blade, and not gone reaching out for another."

The Hero had not come to his home to speak.

"Well, nothing else for it then, I suppose."

The Hero had come here to destroy everything keeping the Kunoichi chained.

"If I survive, perhaps I'll start over from zero."

Slay the dragon of her guilt.

"Far away, where no one knows my name."

Shatter the prison of her fears.

"... You… you never listened to my words, even once, did you?"

The Hero yawned and blinked, slowly, mild surprise coloring his expression, before giving a small, half-hearted shrug and at last speaking up.

"Look, dude, if you want to monologue, do it in your own time."

Shido blinked back at him, and something snapped.

He was still laughing, harder than he'd ever laughed in his life, when the massive silver club rose high and fell hard.

* * *

They stood on the cliffside, watching as the sun crept its way slowly above the horizon line, slowly returning color to the dark surface of the ocean.

"... Is it really over, Takashi?"

"Yeah,I think we've made our point."

"So… what now?"

"Dunno. I'm not really great at planning ahead, but I guess we can go wherever we want, now. Got anywhere in mind?"

"No, I can't say I do… forgive me."

"Hmm? Well I guess I do have one idea."

"Oh?"

"Whichever direction we pick…"

"... Yes?"

"Let's both pick the same one."

"..."

"..."

"Pfft!"

"Hehe."

"Hehe… oh Takashi! I… ehehe! You were so s-serious hehe!"

"What, don't like the idea?"

"No, I love it, it's just, hehe!"

"Yeah, a little silliness was worth hearing you laugh like that. Good job, me."

"Hehehe!"

* * *

Shido woke with a pounding in his skull, like an Oni had taken her club and used his head like a drum.

… Which was closer to the truth than he'd initially thought, given the make of the Hero's weapon.

Honestly, he hadn't really expected to wake up at _all_, and so an odd sort of calm fell over Shido as he realized that somehow, he'd avoided the worst case scenario.

Though, his limbs felt rather heavy, almost as if something heavy was wrapped all the way around-

"Ah, good morning, Lord Shido." Taniuchi whispered quietly, her head coming into view as she leaned her upper body over him.

"Taniuchi! What a welcome sight!" Shido said, smiling easily up at her. "You're not hurt, are you?"

Taniuchi smiled and shook her head gently.

"Tired, but unharmed, my love."

Shido breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't _entirely_ have to fake.

Taniuchi shifted, and the coils she'd wrapped around him tightened every so slightly.

"A little tight, my dear." Shido commented. "Mind releasing me? I would like to stretch my limbs, I believe."

"No, I don't think I will."

Shido blinked at the flat tone.

He put back on his faltering smile, and opened his mouth to-

Taniuchi turned away from him without another glance, her attentions focussed elsewhere, and allowing him to note that from the ceiling that they were in a cave of some kind, but one different from the catacombs below his domain.

Miku quite suddenly presented herself into his limited field of vision, utterly naked, but unbothered by that fact as she plopped herself down cross-legged upon one of Taniuchi's coils, the weight pressing down against his ribs as she grinned down at him.

"Heya Shido! 'Bout time you woke up, sleepy head!" As she chirped her greeting, she reached down and patted him none too gently on the cheek with one staticy paw.

Shido rolled his eyes, a well practiced and indulgent chuckle drifting from his lips.

"Good morning to you as well, Miku." He replied. "Now, as much as I enjoy the proximity, this is a little bit uncomfortable, so if you don't mind-"

"Huh? So what?" Miku cut him off with a puzzled expression, and a flick of her blue furred ears.

Shido gaped up at her, stunned by the dismissal.

Miku wasn't exactly well-mannered (far from it), but she'd never spoken that way to him!

Fuzzy paws gently lifted his head, Kawamoto replacing whatever had cushioned his head with her thighs.

The trio smiled down at him, and Shido would have been lying if he said that something about that didn't set off alarms in his head.

"Well girls, I'm glad you're alright, but is there a reason we're all piled up in such a fashion?" Shido tried, a companionable chuckle spilling from his lips. "Of course, I don't mind if you all wish to cuddle, but it would be nice to reciprocate the affection."

"Would it? First time for everything, I guess." Kawamoto replied, and Shido was beginning to think that he _wasn_'t imagining the claw involved in the massaging of his scalp.

"First time-?" Shido trailed off with a hesitancy that wasn't nearly as feigned as it normally would be.

"Yeah, I mean, you've been lying to us from the start." Miku chimed in, as if it had nothing to do with her.

"L-lying!? Whatever do you mean!?" Shido blurted out in a panic, and the emotion most certainly was _not _feigned. "If I have caused you harm, then of course I would beg your forgiveness, but-!"

The girls cut him off with three words spoken in perfect harmony.

"We forgive you."

Whatever his next words had been died in his throat.

"We know you don't actually like to be touched." Kawamoto stated calmly.

"We know you don't actually touch as much as we want you too." Miku followed up with.

"And we know that you don't love us nearly as much as we love you." Taniuchi whispered.

"We knew you were good at illusions, but we didn't know how often you used them on us." Kawamoto continued.

"Yep, but maybe Saeko knocked something loose when she beat the crap out of us, or the Hero did when he did the same to you." Miku guessed.

"But our eyes, and our memories, are clear now, love." Taniuchi declared.

"But we forgive you, so it's fine." Kawamoto reassured him, her claws continuing to massage his scalp.

"Yep! Challenge accepted!" Miku's grin grew wide enough to display all her many sharp teeth.

"Indeed, if you don't love us as much as we love you…"

A sudden chill coursed up his spine as Shido discovered, quite suddenly, that there wasn't a _single _stitch of clothing between the four of them.

In perfect harmony, a trio of sweet voices whispered honey promises into the still air.

_**"Well, we have all the time in the world to convince you."**_

* * *

Many a legend was spawned of the night a village by the sea was deprived of its lord and his wives, vanished without a trace in the dead of night.

… None of those legends have ever been proved.

* * *

**Ngl, Saeko's scene in canon where Takashi accepted her demons and she really let loose was one of the hottest things I've ever seen in anime.**

**That the scene based off it ends with the line I put there is because I watched the English dub first, and it left a way bigger impression. Some of it was meh, but other parts (like Saeko having so much fun zombie slaying that she orgasms from it) were phenomenal.**

**Also, HOTD was probably my ecchi anime, so the impression lingered.**

**As for Shido there, don't expect to see him later. If I was writing an eroge, Shido jumped head first into the 'bad end' without saving his game.**

**Senpai got the yandere harem, and Senpai didn't notice them nearly enough.**

**On a different note, I'm strongly considering releasing more stories. I'll put this on my next releases for my other stories too, but here's the short version;**

**There's a lot I want to write, and I have so many unused ideas that it's almost getting in the way of the stories I'm already writing. Which is an interesting sort of frustration, because I'm doing this for fun, and its getting harder to justify not just going for more of the ideas I want to bring to life.**

**I'm not going to drop any stories, but I'm kind of in this weird place of 'damned if I do, damned if I don't'.**

**So I wanted to get some reader opinions on me releasing more stories, or just plugging away on what I've got and trying to stay on task.**

**Let me know what you think, and as always, thanks for reading.**


	8. Breaking Free of Yesterday

**No sharks or unsuspecting birds were harmed in the making of this fanfiction.**

**Or at least, you can't prove it in court.**

* * *

Sharks could smell blood in the water for miles, and Mersharks were no different.

Just like a shark, she began swimming towards the scent as swiftly as she could; where the two species differed was that her main and only concern was saving anyone who might be in danger.

Which is why when she broke the surface of the water to find some sort of frantic melee on the galleon's surface and the scent of blood as thick in the air as in the water, her first thoughts weren't questioning just what could be going on, or if it might be a threat to her own safety.

No, her first thought was the thrashing figure that fell bleeding over the rails and plunged into the water.

The human panicked and flailed, naturally, but every human seemed to do that when they fell into the ocean, and so she just as naturally picked up speed to save him before he drowned.

"It's alright, you're safe now!" She called out as she hooked his arms from behind, her speech not hindered in the least from being thirty feet below surface. "Easy now, you're okay."

She was trying to be as calm and reassuring as she could, but she had grabbed the man from behind because she was well aware that her appearance could be a little… startling if she showed up out of nowhere.

She was also strong though, a lot stronger than the human so his flailing wasn't really something to worry about.

At least, not until he twisted in a way she didn't think should be possible (what was that dull crack she heard?) and sunk his teeth into her bicep.

She gave a startled shout as quite suddenly _her _blood found its way into the water, but she was too tough to be easily dissuaded, and didn't drop the man she was trying to keep from drowning.

After all, letting him go would make it harder to tear him in two, and she was hungry, so hungry, so she didn't have any time to waste.

… And that was how a growing infection reached the world's oceans.

* * *

The start to Rei's morning was infinitely better than it would have sounded if described.

She went from eyes cracking open and mouth yawning, to breath caught in her throat and eyes stinging with tears within the course of less than five seconds.

The reason for her tears was the sensation of arms wrapped maybe a little too tightly around her midsection, of the warm body pressing her head to its ample chest as she laid on her side in the tent.

Arms that tightened a little at her quiet sniffle, and then one fumbled its way higher up her body to pat her awkwardly on the head.

Rei stiffened against the sleeping form as it sleepily grumbled at her that it was early, she should go back to sleep, with at least a few of the syllables involved in the phrase 'shut up' somewhere in there.

The next sniffle gave way to a muffled, happy giggle, and soon to quiet snores as Rei nestled more deeply into the snuggly embrace and obeyed.

Feeling the body in her arms fall comfortably still, Saya gave a sleepy smile and followed suit.

* * *

He was happy for Rei.

It had been two days since she'd begun traveling with them, and the difference was already impossible to miss.

The dark circles under her eyes were gone, for one.

He and Saya had avoided commenting on those, but they'd definitely been happy to see them go.

Rei had been barely taking care of herself; just enough to keep herself functional, and so without even knowing it, she'd been burning through her mana.

Probably on a daily basis, Saya had miserably guessed.

The mana of a Hero was primarily geared towards one thing; combat. Oh sure, there were those here and there who weren't really suited for it, legends like Sasha Fullmoon who were more healers than anything else, but even the most passive Hero was naturally kept in peak condition by their own mana.

Kohta had stopped wishing that his 'peak condition' involved abs when he found out how Saya really felt about him.

That meant that for Rei to look, well, almost 'hollow' that her mana had been working overtime to keep her in fighting condition.

… And slowly failing.

Just like how the body of Succubi, even one of the war-like types like the Amazon and Kunoichi, were believed to prioritize seductiveness to the expense of all else, Rei's body had been slowly neglecting anything that didn't help her fight.

But that was the thing with mana, especially that of a Hero.

It was influenced by emotion.

Rei had passed out shortly after she agreed to journey with them, and had slept for what Saya told him was precisely twenty two hours.

She'd woken up with a smile on her lips, and in the three days that had followed, that gorgeous, vibrant enthusiasm that had made Rei the mood-maker of their little group had fallen firmly back into place.

Saya hadn't judged him in the least when he'd later admitted to having his heart skip several beats at first sight, since she'd been the same.

Also, because Saya wasn't the sort to get jealous about him admiring other girls, at least, not anymore, since she was now fully aware that to him she was, and had always been the most beautiful woman in all the world.

… She'd still scolded Rei like a naughty child for making her worry, but some things just couldn't be helped.

* * *

What do you call a dream that doesn't end when you awake?

Saeko had settled on calling it 'happiness'.

She was aware that part of her was still very much broken.

That there was a possibility that there might be something about her that couldn't be fixed, because the pieces needed to put her back together were never there in the first place.

Maybe having the chance to heal was all she could expect.

But she had been given that chance, and she didn't intend to waste it.

Because even if it was only the starting line that she had found, she had found something that she had _already given up on finding_.

And she couldn't have done it without him.

Saeko had found her starting line, the path that led towards healing and becoming whole.

Now, it was time to find his.

* * *

Normally, Saeko kept her cards close to her chest, and it made her hard to read, even though she hardly ever covered her face with her mask or scarf anymore unless she was embarrassed.

The usual expression she directed towards him, when she thought he wasn't watching, was a slight smile that managed to convey a depth of tender affection that made him incredibly self-conscious in the best kind of way.

But he always knew when her thoughts shifted towards whatever it was that was bothering her.

That tender smile would shift into a tiny, contemplative frown, one equal parts concern and confusion.

… Wait, if it was that obvious to him, didn't that actually mean Saeko was sorta bad at keeping her cards close to her chest, even though there was plenty of chest to keep those cards against?

Okay, so now he was mostly thinking about Saeko's boobs, but Takashi didn't feel like he could be blamed since they were walking arm in arm, which somehow always seemed to wind up with his arm disappearing between Saeko's breasts.

Well, he supposed he could just ask her about it, but then she'd probably just redirect him with something sexy.

The sexiness almost always worked, truly she possessed the cunning of a true ninja.

… Wait, didn't 'lack of subtlety' and 'cunning' kind of contradict each other?

Oh well.

Saeko might be thinking awfully hard about something, but she still seemed happy.

If she was happy, he was happy.

Couldn't that be enough?

* * *

Deep breaths Rei, deep breaths.

Just put one foot forward, one foot forward.

Saya's glaring at you, use it as motivation because you don't want her to scold you, and-

With a deep breath, Rei took one step forward, and off the boat.

To an outside observer, it would have meant very little, but to Rei, it was a monumental moment.

She had taken her first step onto Zipangu's soil in almost fifteen years.

Her first step onto her homeland's southeastern shore, the same port she'd left from all those years ago, when she'd moved to Order lands with her parents, and…

Her first step towards doing what she should have done from the moment he'd vanished; her first step towards finding Takashi.

She was scared, she would admit.

Fighting monsters was a lot easier than trying to make up for the pain she'd caused to the man who had always been there for her.

… If he'd even let her.

It had been almost two years since they'd parted ways.

Plenty of time for him to move on.

She hoped he'd moved on.

She hoped he hadn't forgotten her.

… Maybe she didn't know what she wanted.

She'd thought long and hard about what she'd say, what she'd do when she found Takashi.

And Rei had decided that if he was happy, she would walk away without ever letting him see her face.

She owed him that much.

After all, where had she been when he needed her the most?

With Hisashi, who, coincidentally, she had failed just as spectacularly, even though on his deathbed, he'd admitted that he'd known all along that he wasn't really the man she was looking at.

… Maybe she should just turn around.

This was stupid.

What was she even doing?

Takashi didn't need help from a woman who hurt every man who ever gave her the time of day.

She-

"Deep breaths, Rei." Saya whispered, slipping her arms around her waist. "You're hyperventilating."

A large hand fell gently on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze as Kohta stepped up beside her too.

"It's not gonna be easy, but we owe it to ourselves and him to try." Kohta said.

… Of course they were worried too.

She was being selfish again, thinking of no one but herself and pretending otherwise.

She hadn't considered avoiding Takashi for his sake… she was just afraid to face him.

But so were Kohta and Saya.

"We sure do." She forced an enthusiasm into her voice that she couldn't quite feel. "But we also can't find him if we pass out from hunger along the way. Also, we're home, and I'm pretty sure I can see the marketplace from here. Which means…"

"... Which means?" Saya.

"... Which means?" Kohta.

Rei spun out of their grasp with a grin and caught them by the hands, tugging Saya and Kohta along.

"When was the last time you had real seafood!?"

Saya and Kohta turned to each other, blinking slowly.

Smiles bloomed across their faces in perfect sync, and soon, the trio was grinning at each other like naughty children as Rei put her hand forward.

Saya's hand went on top of hers, and Kohta's hand went on top of Saya's.

They flung their hands up into the air, jumping as they did so.

"We're…. Home!"

… They got more than a few funny looks and knowing chuckles from the many, many people hustling and bustling around them, but that just made the trio giggle.

For now, they were together, and they had finally returned home.

Couldn't that be enough?

* * *

Zipangu was a lot more accepting of mamono in general, what were they called around here again…

Yokai, right? That's what Blossom had told her.

The only problem was that the Order lands weren't nearly so accepting, hard to blame them after Lescaitie had fallen, really, and so getting between the two continents was tricky unless you could fly, or swim across the ocean.

Rika couldn't fly, and couldn't really use magic, but she could pump her limbs full of enough mana to let her go paw to paw with an Ogre in short bursts.

If she had wanted to, she could have filled up on mana with a nice boy or eight, and easily made the three day swim to Zipangu.

She didn't though, because three days of salt water was murder on her fur, and Blossom would spend an equal amount of days scolding her when she found out( it was a 'when' not an 'if', Blossom always knew) because apparently that was reckless behavior.

But, she had been able to hitch a ride with Nereid pirates in exchange for serving as extra muscle, both in the event of a fight and in the day to day running of the ship.

Rika hadn't decided whether or not the orgy could be considered part of the arrangement, since that had happened without any negotiations involved.

Though, she'd lucked out when an unusually curious Tritonia that had been drifting along the current had come aboard. Now, according to her copy of the Monster Girl Encyclopedia, she just needed to bang an Otohime and then Rika could check off the last species of aquatic mamono.

Deck top sexcapades aside, she'd wound up landing ashore on Zipangu's northeastern corner, and now she was heading south, towards where her senses told her Blossom would be.

It made a lot of sense, according to the map she'd borrowed, that Blossom was probably somewhere in central Zipangu.

Almost two thirds of the island's center was deep, old forest and mountains, the sort of wilderness with enough history to draw Blossom like a beacon.

… She just hoped the infection hadn't made it to the oceans. Rika had feigned sickness to have herself tested by a friendly Hakutaku for any abnormalities, and she was clean and healthy, but, if someone for whom that wasn't true made it out onto the waters…

All it had to do was infect a seagoing mamono, and from there, any continent in the world was at risk.

Even this one.

"I hope you're okay, Blossom." She whispered. "Please, please be okay."

* * *

"This is not okay!" She screamed. "I am not okay at all!"

"Rei, you have wings made out of literal Celestial Flame you silly girl!" Saya yelled back, using fire of her own to keep her own attacker at bay. "Use them!"

"... Oh yeah." Slowly, Rei twisted her head to look at the Tentacle that was currently trying to tentacle her.

Rei's warning and what would have been an extremely rushed three count came out as more of a 'kyaa!' as a tentacle successfully wormed its way into the deep V of her blouse, and dangerously close to her nipple, so instead she grit her teeth and immediately summoned Suzaku.

'Suzaku' was known as 'Wings of the Valkyrie' by the Order, but she preferred her homeland's name for it.

With a roar of flame echoed by the distant cry of some great bird, huge vermillion wings composed of pure light erupted from Rei's back, and the Tentacle hastily released her with a panicked cry as golden flame filled the space between them, flicking off Suzaku's feathers.

Rei staggered away from the Tentacle, one hand clutching her tingling breast as she whirled, sweeping the gleaming limbs in a way normal wings couldn't emulate.

This set out another sheet of golden flame at the shrieking, flailing Tentacle, but, angry and flustered though Rei was, the Celestial Flame still answered her intent and seared through mana, rather than the admittedly flammable skin of the plant-based Yokai.

Being a plant-type Yokai, the Tentacle swooned, but was hoisted upright by her quivering tendrils as she attempted to beat a hasty retreat from her natural weakness.

Recognizing the Tentacle's panicked escape as one not likely to end soon, Rei turned back to the bulk of the fight, the one she'd been dragged away from when the Tentacle had snared her.

Certain types of mamono sometimes went 'feral' meaning they'd aggressively attack and attempt to have sex with anyone who took their fancy, male or female.

Sometimes it meant they hadn't been able to feed properly, or sometimes it just meant they were Beast-types in heat.

It was uncommon for a party with a Yokai like Saya in it to get attacked, but the Nekomata pack that had bounced on them didn't seem to care, even though it wasn't going well for the horny kitties.

Kohtat had a half-circle of insensate Nekomata around him, slender forms still sparking with Gjallarhorn's emerald lightning. Clothing a bit torn, but in fine shape otherwise, a grin on his face as he drove the pack-leader, an unusually tall and black haired Nekomata, away.

Saya swept her staff, and a howling gust of wind sent the other odd Yokai out, the Oomukade that had been trying to sting her, end over end across the clearing in a skittering tangle of her long body.

The Oomukade was another Zipangu native, built similar to a Lamia, but an insect rather than a serpent, from the waist down she had the body of an enormous centipede, with venomous pincers at the other end of her body reminiscent of a centipede's jaws.

The Oomukade unwound herself from the heap she'd collapsed in with a stormy scowl, but cringed from the light as she found Rei suddenly in between her and her target, wings flared and a gleaming spear of pure white at the ready.

Looking closer at the weapon, the spear was made of one solid piece of snowy white petrified wood, though no less durable or sharp for it; just like any sacred weapon should be.

In an ancient tongue it was referred to as Dealga Ban; White Thorn. In more modern times it's full title was 'The White Thorn of Exorcism', a Blessing in the form of a Legacy Armament that emerged as a very part of the wielder's soul.

Rei had been five when she manifested her first Blessing, and had promptly dubbed it Shiro because that sounded cuter.

Thus, the White Thorn of Exorcism became known as 'Shiro', which was White in the language of Zipangu.

The White Thorn _responding _to the name of Shiro meant Rei's affinity with the weapon was high, much to the consternation of the clergy at a Legacy Armament being renamed by a little girl.

… Saya still laughed every time the story was told.

The Oomukade wasn't laughing, however, when Shiro's pale wooden head sank between her snapping pincers, and her ominous purple mana leaked into the air like a siv.

She did smirk when she tore the spear from the Hero's hands and flung it away behind her, not able to recognize that the beautiful warrior had put up a token resistance at best.

Now unarmed, Rei stood smiling with one hand outstretched, and the other on the curve of her hip.

The Oomukade didn't get the chance to process the action as something smashed into the back of her head, leaving the unconscious insect crumpling to the ground with a clatter of her many limbs.

Rei smirked as Shiro twirled back into her outstretched hand, having bounced off the back of the Yokai's head in an attempt to return to its owner's grasp.

Turning back she found the fight already over, and Saya diligently fussing over Kohta to see if any of the rips in his sleeves meant anything serious.

Kohta's patient smile suggested they didn't, and so Rei relaxed with a relieved sigh and let Shiro vanish.

While nearly being tentacled had put a bit of a damper on things, it felt really, really good not to fight all alone.

… Well, the tentacles had felt good too, actually, but it wasn't her fault that she was pent-up; despite how understanding and considerate Saya and Kohta were being, she was still a third wheel, and it had been a long time for her.

Being with Hisashi had made her feel guilty enough, she hadn't so much as flirted with another man since then.

Takashi had been her first, but…

She doubted he'd look at her that way, ever again.

At some point, two pairs of arms had wrapped themselves around her.

But even if it wasn't the kind of love she'd just been thinking of, Rei wouldn't trade this feeling for anything.

* * *

She should have known better.

Should have known how everything could go from perfect to disastrous in a single moment.

The rope bridge was old, but seemed sturdy enough, and it wasn't as if they could just go around a chasm they couldn't see either end of.

They'd both underestimated how quickly the weather could shift, in the mountains.

From clear skies to howling winds that tasted like a storm in moments, her and Takashi found themselves exposed and clinging on for dear life as the bridge bucked and groaned in the wind, like the bones of some huge snake.

She'd wrapped her tail around Takashi's waist like a lifeline, and they slowly began to press forward, too far across to turn around.

And then salvation came in the worst possible form.

Saeko froze as she heard a worried call over the wind, and the beating of heavy wings.

She screamed in desperation at the winged shape to fly away while she still could, and the Crow Tengu who had attempted to fly to their aid floundered in the wind, confusion and alarm written across her face as she flapped hard to remain hovering in place.

Saeko saw that flash of vacant eyes and the fearful snarl on Takashi's lips as he stepped between the two of them, heedless of the danger, and felt rather than heard something snap and give way beneath their feet.

She heard the startled shout from the bewildered Tengu as the winds denied her attempts to dive after them, even as the strange hostility brought pause to her flight, and then her and Takashi were falling, and she was holding him tight and twisting in a desperate, attempt to break his fall with her own body.

And then nothing.

* * *

"Damn the nets heavy, what in the spirit's name did we pull up!?" The man grunted as he and the crew hauled their fishing net aboard.

They hadn't expected much luck, this close to shore, but the fish had been unusually keen to stick close to the shallows.

"Yokai!" Someone called out, weary, but not particularly alarmed.

Tangled in the net was a struggling Mershark, a big girl by the looks of things, but too tangled out to make out any details just yet.

"Steady miss, we'll get you out of there, just behave yourself, alright?"

The Mershark went still in what they all hoped was acceptance; most of them were married anyways so there wasn't too much risk, and they all knew enough to know that Mersharks were a lot friendlier than they looked.

Pulling the woman up onto the deck, they began untangling her, keeping a bit of distance from jaws and tail, no harm in a little caution.

The Mershark was almost free of the net when they realized that something wasn't right, realized there were open, festering wounds being completely ignored by the one wearing them.

Then she was moving with shocking speed for a girl without legs, and something filled the air as she pounced on the nearest fisherman and bore him to the deck.

No one quite understood that the 'something' that had sprayed high in the air was blood until the woman lifted her gory face from the ruins of the soon-to-be dead man's neck.

A startled shout cut short soon revealed she wasn't the only wrong thing that had found its way up on deck, and by then it was too late.

Perhaps, if they'd anchored farther from shore, the growing infection would not have spread to Zipangu's shores shortly after.

But anyone with the necessary knowledge would have called that wishful thinking.

* * *

Saeko awoke with a cough and groan, and the not entirely unfamiliar feeling of everything hurting.

Something was poking her in the stomach, which wasn't an entirely new sensation waking up beside (on top of) Takashi, but…

_Falling, falling-_

With a sharp gasp, Saeko willed her body to rise in a panic, twisting desperately in an attempt to find-

Her eyes were unbothered by the darkness, and so the first thing she saw was a sharp, dull white.

The thing that had been poking her in the stomach, and Saeko didn't really understand what she was looking at until the hand clutching her side came away wet.

Not, not poking her, but _puncturing _her, the thing that came from Takashi's-

"Takashi!?" Terror flashed through her as she took in the still, broken thing beneath her.

Takashi's mangled body, so mangled that the thing that had punctured her side was one of his _rib _bones.

"Takashi!? Takashi!?" She screamed desperately, barely restraining the urge to throw herself atop him. "No no no no no Takashi answer me please!"

Her only answer was the bubbling of frothy pink from Takashi's still lips.

_He can't be he can't be no nonononononono-_

But Takashi didn't move, didn't breathe.

A heartrending wail filled the air as for the first time, Takashi's response to her voice was nothing at all.

Takashi was- he couldn't be-!

_**Snap.**_

_**Snap.**_

Saeko went completely still as wet tearing and popping filled the air.

That gory white vanished as bones slid back into Takashi's twitching body with a macabre sort of grace.

Saeko watched in numb disbelief, not daring to move a muscle as Takashi's mangled body snapped and twisted itself back into a proper shape.

Too afraid to even blink, as if looking away for a single second would prove it all a lie.

Takashi rose tattered and bloody from the ground, eyes burning that molten orange from the caverns once more.

Clothing tattered, chest heaving and teeth bared.

But alive.

Takashi was alive, and that was all that-

Saeko's explosive sigh of relief turned into a strangled gasp of pain as minor things like her own wounds belatedly returned to the forefront, and a fine crimson mist decorated her palm as she attempted to muffle her wet cough.

Saeko flinched as quite suddenly, Takashi's vacant gaze was inches from her own.

"... Takashi?" Quite suddenly, she was on her back, a strong hand between the back of her head and the ground, and those burning orbs searing into her eyes from above, accompanied by a beast-like grin.

Takashi pinned her to the cold stone, and Saeko's surprised exclamation was muffled by his lips crashing against hers.

'_This is… just like our first night together.'_

Her pinned beneath Takashi's body, Takashi fully in the grasp of Berserker, but…

No fear, only ecstasy.

A sudden chill as Takashi ripped the clothing from her body, only to be replaced by warmth as hands began roughly roaming her shivering skin, as if trying to imprint their shape on every inch of her.

Saeko gasped as her breast was squeezed, hard, but she was Yokai; rough play of that level just turned her on even more.

But he was oh so gentle when he sat back between her legs and pulled her upright and into his lap.

She didn't understand what he was doing when he tore off his shirt and jacket, but it felt exquisite when he pulled her against himself, naked skin on naked skin.

To anyone else it might have looked rather grisly; two bloody bodies molded against one another.

To Saeko it was blissful proof of their bond; that their time together was something real and intimate.

After all, they had bled for one another before.

She didn't precisely understand what he wanted when he instead pressed her lips to the side of his neck, though.

She kissed and licked a bit because Takashi was against her lips, obviously, but that seemed to irritate as much as it aroused him.

Takashi pulled her away as she looked at him in confusion, wincing a little as her side throbbed, turning her head just quickly enough not to cough blood on him.

Berserker wasn't exactly eloquent, but she understood it clearly enough when he lifted a small knife- hers- to the side of his neck.

She gently closed her hand around it, shaking her head.

Takashi scowled at her, but let her lower the blade as she lowered her open mouth to the side of his neck.

As gently as she could for something of that nature, Saeko bit down, her whole body shivering blissfully as the blood entered her mouth.

Takashi hugged her gently as she began to drink his blood, and idly, Saeko began to wonder if maybe she had a Vampire somewhere in her family tree.

But she could feel the bones shifting and the tears in her skin closing, and, with an almost uncanny precision, it was when the pain had faded entirely that Berserker struck yet again.

She had broken the kiss and licked her lips, about to tell Takashi she was fine, when he gripped her by the hips and lifted her partially into the air.

A shrill scream of ecstasy tore from her lips as he brought her back down hard; filling her unsurprisingly wet womanhood with his erection in one rough thrust.

She threw her arms around his shoulders as Takashi lifted her again and brought her back down; and Saeko gasped and cried out shamelessly as Takashi pumped his shaft in and out of her using only his arm strength to move her body up and down.

Saeko pulled Takashi into a deep, aggressive kiss, her body shivering and her walls clenching as he nipped at her lower lip.

She came first and came hard, but Takashi didn't let up in the least; he lifted her long legs up above her head, leaving her almost folded up in his arms and his dick still inside her.

Saeko gave a surprised exhale as Takashi shifted and rose into the air, it turned into a low moan as he began thrusting into her.

"S-so rough!" She managed to gasp out, and Takashi stopped thrusting.

Blinking bleary eyes, Saeko found him smirking at her, eyes clear and hazel as he stared at her.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Don't you dare."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Saeko idly noted that he was probably trying to distract her from the terrifying experience; the rest of her mind screamed at her that if he wanted to try and fuck the trauma out of her, she should stop being an idiot and let him.

Then Takashi picked up the pace, and coherent thoughts were put on hold until further notice.

* * *

He let her reciprocate, eventually, and both their voices echoed through the chasm as she bounced atop him, but eventually, the desperate sex had to come to an end, and they lay sweaty, naked and entangled on the battered bedroll that neither of them knew who had taken out.

Pressing her head against Takashi's chest, Saeko just laid there for a while, reassuring herself of Takashi's heartbeat.

Loathe though she was to ruin the moment, she decided it was time.

They had been lucky, very lucky, and while she'd cheerfully die before blaming Takashi out loud, it was true that his trauma had put them both in danger.

"Berserker is more tenacious than I thought." Saeko whispered, her breath still a little ragged.

"Yeah." The arm around her gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"... But let's not test it again, if we can help it." She hated the faint trace of pleading that leaked into her voice.

"Sure."

Too easy.

He wasn't taking this as seriously as she was, was he?

… Unless?

"Takashi…" She began slowly. "Did you know you'd survive?"

He was silent for a long while, but the way he tensed was an answer loud enough to seem like screaming to her.

"... It scared me when you tried to get beneath me like that." He settled on eventually. "I knew I could handle the fall, but I definitely didn't know if you could."

"Even if you're tougher than I am, that doesn't mean I'm willing to let you get hurt."

"... Sorry. Didn't mean it that way." Takashi replied softly. "It was terrifying, having someone willing to get hurt for my sake like that. But it felt kind of good, too."

"I understand."

They were silent for a while, and he wanted to breathe a sigh of relief when he thought the conversation would end there, but-

"But Takashi, why did you know you could survive?"

The breath caught in his throat and refused to move.

"Does it have something to do with that day?"

How did she know?

"Takashi, please." Saeko said, pushing herself up off his chest so she could meet his widened eyes properly. "I know it was almost too late for me to learn this lesson, but now that I have, I can see the way the past is weighing down your every step."

She took a deep breath.

"And there are some wounds that I don't think even Berserker can heal."

Takashi shivered, and his eyes took on that dim, vacant look as his Blessing responded, his breath coming in in harsh, slow gasps.

"I think that's the first time I've seen Berserker activate out of fear." Saeko whispered, and Takashi's eyes snapped back into focus with a pained grimace.

"I think you were a little preoccupied, the last time it happened."

Saeko cringed as she realized what he was talking about, and, for a moment, she could almost feel the coils around her waist once more.

"... You're probably wondering why wing beats set me off, right?" Takashi began eventually.

"I can kind of guess there was a Yokai of some kind involved."

"Griffin." Takashi muttered. "Wasn't even her fault, really. Just the wrong place, wrong time for everyone involved."

A long, reluctant sigh.

"We Heroes investigate a lot of ruins, you know? They can be dangerous, not just for us but for anyone else, and it's considered a priority to recover anything of importance for us, or to lock away or destroy anything of importance to mamono." Takashi explained.

"It was just after we'd graduated from the academy. Typically we work in pairs, but they try to work those pairs into a group of four, when they can. Takuzo, with Naomi, together with Niki and Ichijou, for example. They were tasked with investigating the rumor of a small temple, high in the southern mountains." Takashi continued.

"Naomi got jumped by a stray Alraune in the forest a few days before, so she was undergoing purification. The mission wasn't expected to be a big one, and since I was alone at the time, they asked me to fill in for her."

It had been more sympathy for him than help for them, to be honest. He and Rei had… parted, and Kohta had tagged along with Saya when she'd been called home for something or another.

"Well, we found it. One of those really old temples, looked more Grecian than anything else, according to Ichijou." Takashi recounted. "Thing is, we didn't find it first."

"... The Griffin was guarding the ruins, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, no sign of her until she was practically on top of us, and she caught us inside, rather than out." Takashi nodded. "High ceilings, one of those open air sort of temples with the pillars and stuff."

Saeko tried to imagine it. Griffins were ferocious guardians of ancient ruins and temples, and if she'd caught intruders, it would have been a vicious fight, if a nonlethal one.

So then, what went wrong-?

"... They collapsed, didn't they?"

"Yep." Takashi agreed. "Don't know what did it, but things got out of control, fast. Ichijou went down and that sent Niki into a panic, Takuzo was more used to relying on Naomi than he thought and we couldn't coordinate, I went through one half-broken pillar when things got really nasty, and then I put the Griffin through another undamaged one without meaning to."

Takashi laughed, and Saeko was struck by the unpleasant novelty of hating that sound for perhaps the first time.

It was so… tired, defeated.

She hated anything that could make Takashi feel or sound that way.

"It was like we pissed off the whole mountain by fighting on sacred ground. The mountain roared, the Griffin screeched, and someone, maybe several someones, started screaming." Takashi told her.

"Next thing I know, I'm lying on my back, surrounded by rubble and corpses." Takashi said frankly. "Everyone, even the Griffin, lying all around me, limbs twisted and snapped like what happens when a child decides to break all his toys. I'm drenched in blood and feathers, but I can't remember a damn thing otherwise, still can't."

"... Then why are you so certain that it's your fault?" She didn't actually want to hear the answer, but it was necessary to know, wasn't it?

"Because even if I didn't lose control and kill anyone on purpose or even directly, what does it matter?" Takashi asked. "Maybe the Griffin could have brought the ruins down on everyone's heads by herself, but would she have?"

A Griffin willfully destroying the territory or treasure she'd taken it upon herself to protect?

That was like a Dragon discarding her hoard.

It just didn't happen.

… In the end, there was nothing Saeko could say back to him.

"Yeah." Takashi sighed. "Odds are just fantastic that if I hadn't been there, no one at all would have died. After that, I ran. Just ran, too afraid to face those living or dead. I don't even know how long it took them, or took Naomi to find out what I'd done. The reason I ended up in Zipangu was just fear, the fear that when I opened my eyes, the _living _would be there to see what I'd become."

Saeko tried several times to say something, _anything._

She had just wanted to help him.

… Just like he'd done for her, but how naive was that?

The only thing she'd ever been good at was causing pain.

What kind of fresh insanity suggested she had any business attempting the opposite?

No, it was true she wanted to help Takashi, but she also wanted to know more about him.

… Tearing open old wounds out of curiosity, then?

… That sounded more like her.

"I don't believe you."

Huh?

Who had… had she said that?

"... What do you mean, Saeko?"

'_It was me! What are you saying, you stupid girl!? Shut up, just shut up, don't-'_

"There's quite a few things you say that I don't believe, actually." Saeko replied, speaking without understanding what it was she was trying to say, as if discovering her own opinion by speaking it.

"I don't believe that casual tone of yours, as if what happened is something you've accepted." She began to list in a matter-of-fact tone, staring down at Takashi. "I don't believe you when you say you don't feel any pain, because I know full well that pain is more than just physical. I also don't believe that you'd do anything to put the people you care for in danger, no matter how tightly Berserker grips you."

"..."

Something in the way his gaze had shifted told her the last observation was the most important.

"Don't you understand, Takashi?" She asked gently. "I've never _once _felt threatened by your Blessing. Oh sure, you've startled me, and the idea of you being angry certainly was unpleasant, but an actual, physical sense of danger? Not even once. Not even when my Charm backfired and you had your hand around my throat, not even when you were ploughing me into the ground hard enough to break _cobblestone _with my body."

Speaking of choking, it seemed to Saeko that he'd forgotten how to breathe.

Like any good predator, Saeko took the weakness as opportunity and mercilessly cornered her prey.

"I'm not afraid of you, or your Blessing Takashi." She whispered insistently. "And if it can lessen your fear of _yourself_, even a little, I'll prove it by putting myself in between you and anything you're afraid of hurting."

Takashi's horrified look brought with it a flash of warmth because it told her she was important to him, and made her giggle because he seemed to think that it was a bad idea.

"Because I know I have nothing to fear from you." Saeko smiled. "And because I think you're far, far more gentle than you realize. After all, the greatest anger I've seen from you has never been for your own sake, has it?"

"... You wouldn't have fallen from the bridge if it weren't for me." Takashi tried, and she could tell that the argument seemed just as weak to him as it did to her.

"I also wouldn't have lived long enough to set foot on that bridge, if it wasn't for you." Saeko countered immediately.

And then she rose into a sitting position, straddling him as she spread her arms wide, casually displaying her naked body to the man she loved.

"No, not even that, Takashi." Saeko decided, her lips a thin line. "I would never have started living in the first place if you hadn't reached out your hand to me, that day."

Blue eyes glittering with warmth, Saeko gently took Takashi's hand with both her own, and guided it onto her chest, shivering with delight as his hand pressed against her bare skin, and coincidentally making it easier for him to feel what she wanted him to feel- her heartbeat.

"I told you, didn't I? My heart beats for you and you alone. Maybe it's true that the _accident _would not have happened if you weren't there." Saeko admitted. "But there's no way to know, and so I'll just stick to what I'm certain of."

Takashi just stared up at her.

"Until you can forgive yourself, until you can love yourself once more, I'll just love you enough for both of us."

Then Saeko giggled once more, a giddy, somewhat embarrassed smile on her lips.

"Well, I say 'until', but it's not like I'm ever going to stop." She said as she leaned back in, her smile widening as her draping herself across Takashi made her tits squish and contort against his much more solid chest. "After all, you said you would never let me go."

A pink tongue ran itself glossy lips.

"So it should come as no surprise that I'm never letting _you _go, either."

* * *

It wasn't as if she'd fixed him.

… It wasn't as if Takashi was a problem to be 'fixed', either.

He just had wounds that hadn't the courtesy to start healing, just yet.

… And so all she'd done was make it clear that she'd never allow such a sorry state to continue.

Saeko didn't really think she'd done all that much, though, if she was being honest.

… But this time, when she woke up just past midnight, it was habit, rather than necessity.

For the first time since they'd begun their journey together, there were no nightmares for her to banish, and Takashi's sleep remained peaceful and undisturbed.

And so Saeko laid her head back upon his chest, and drifted back off to sleep with a smile on her lips.

* * *

Takashi's eyes snapped open as the feeling of warmth that greeted his waking moments left him suddenly, accompanied by a throaty, startled scream.

Saeko was sitting up, partially straddling him and gasping raggedly, cheeks flushed and eyes wild.

Takashi's alarm gave way to confusion; he knew what those shudders meant, and it wasn't that strange for Saeko to get started without him.

Just, she usually involved him, and didn't look so bewildered when she had a squirting orgasm like that.

"... Errr… you okay?" He asked hesitantly, not really knowing what else to ask.

The wind picked up again, and Saeko shivered in a way that had nothing to do with the chill, looking more confused than ever as her knees clamped involuntarily around his leg.

"I-I… I don't… I…" Saeko tried to speak.

The wind picked up again, and Saeko gave a girlish little scream and folded in on herself.

"S-s-so sensitive! W-what's going on!?" The poor girl grit out.

Takashi slid out from under her, immediately wrapping the bedroll around her as he glanced around with sharp eyes, and began inching his hand towards Titan.

'Unusually sensitive' usually meant 'Yokai magic', Saya had once told him that the claim that Yokai had a hundred ways to force arousal was in no way an exaggeration.

Saeko seemed to have the same thought, eyes casting wildly around to find…

Nothing.

They were still just as alone, no sign of even the poor Tengu they'd frightened off the day before.

Saeko was huddled rigid with the bedding wrapped around her, trying not to move overly much.

"I-I don't understand what's going on- I'm just so- it's like I woke up as one big erogenous zone!" Saeko cried out plaintively.

"S-so you're just uh… really, really sensitive?" Takashi scratched his head, just as baffled as she was. "Did we uh… overdo it maybe?"

There had been a _lot _of sex yesterday, but Saeko wasn't just a Yokai, she was a Succubus, there wasn't supposed to be such a thing as too much sex!

"I'm a Succubus! A painful orgasm should literally be imposs-" Saeko grit her teeth with a moan as the agitated swish of her tail made the blanket rub against her lower back. "I kn-know I'm strange for a Yokai but this is too much!"

"Strange for a…" Takashi blinked. "Wait, maybe you're not the strange one."

"W-what do you-!?" Saeko stopped. "Oh. Ohhhh…"

It wasn't as if Saeko _looked _unhealthy, what pale skin was visible past the cotton cocoon was vibrant, overflowing with vitality, her blue eyes gleaming with mana and her dark unbound hair glossy, almost as if it had been polished strand-by-strand.

Even the flush of her cheeks and the shiver of her body was more erotic than anything else, Saeko was practically oozing in sex appeal without even trying.

A Yokai became stronger, healthier and sexier the more sex they had.

That was simply how they were built, there was no such thing as too much sex, but sex involved mana, so maybe…?

"Mana… overflow? Overload?" Takashi tried to remember.

"I think it… it was the blood." Saeko ventured quietly, slowly. "You used your blood to heal me, right? It's kind of hard to say, but I don't think I took in less blood than… than the other time." She suggested hesitantly. "But my wounds this time weren't life-threatening; it would have taken me quite some time to recover, but recovering on my own was possible."

"And Berserker makes my blood a lot more effective than… other methods, for passing along mana." Takashi admitted.

"... It's true, I don't feel like I can control my strength very well; I can't even control how tightly I'm holding the covers. So I might just be… overstimulated." Saeko suggested, speaking slowly.

Which both led them to the same question.

"So… what do we do?"

"I don't know… I don't even think I can handle getting dressed like this if a stiff breeze is too much stimulation." Saeko admitted. "I should return to normal as I burn through the excess mana, but I don't think I'll be able to handle working it off so it may take a while."

"Alright, so we wrap you up as much as we can to keep you covered, and I'll carry you somewhere less… exposed so we can wait this out." Takashi planned. "The food in my pack is totalled, but yours is fine-ish so we should be good for a few days."

Saeko wanted to tell Takashi that carrying her wasn't necessary (not that she wouldn't enjoy it), but she also recognized how unsteady on her feet she was, not to mention once again, feeling like her entire body was an erogenous zone.

The uncomfortable mental image of her orgasming from a stubbed toe and Takashi giving her a funny look put any objections to rest.

Also, she really liked being carried in Takashi's arms, and it wasn't like it was a strenuous activity for her exceptionally strong lover- what was she planning to object about again?

* * *

Takashi had been carrying Saeko for almost half an hour before something changed, and it became quite obvious that something, or rather someone, was steering them in a particular direction.

They'd made their way from the deep ravine, and into a lush green forest, the growth high and untainted by the touch of civilization.

So untouched to the point that there was no trail to follow, not even the tiniest game trail worn into the grass.

It was just that despite there being no trail, there most certainly was a _pathway_.

… If Takashi had to describe it, it was almost as if the trees and the brush had grown in such a way as to create a gently winding corridor, softly enclosed by the forest canopy.

And flowers.

It had been a long time since Takashi had seen so many flowers in one place, and certainly not growing wild like this.

Saeko had noticed it too, but it wasn't as if she could really prepare herself for any trouble; her katana was currently strapped to his back, and she was cocooned so tightly in the bedroll that she could barely move.

The way she'd nestled against him was sure flattering, though, because it was impossible to miss what that meant; she was relying on him.

Being relied on was kind of scary, if Takashi was being honest, but also strangely freeing.

He wasn't afraid. He would keep Saeko safe from… whoever it was, if there did turn out to be danger at the end of the path, and that was all there was to it.

So he'd decided, but…

Okay, so they were probably dealing with an Alraune of some kind, maybe a Dryad; manipulating the forest and guiding them to a cozy little glade, centered around a clear, crystalline pond of water, fed by a small brook that sounded almost _cheerful _in the way it trickled into the pool.

Dominating the surface of the pond was the biggest lotus blossom Takashi had ever seen, Saeko too if the way she stared in unabashed wonder was any indication.

The trees surrounding the little glade were almost totally covered in flowers, not in a gaudy or crowded way, no, it almost felt like the flowers had simply spread out and cuddled up to the surrounding trees.

Like some primeval garden, a woodland paradise unspoiled by the march of civilization or the ravages of time.

Someone gulped, audibly, and the garden stirred with a gentle, languid rustle, shifting to offer lazy greeting towards its new guests.

The massive blossom began to bloom, one petal at a time, and the shelter of the petals slowly revealed the garden's mistress.

Takashi and Saeko collectively breathed a sigh of relief; both relied heavily on instinct, and that instinct told them that there was no danger to be found here.

It wasn't the seductively enforced calm and languor that the strongest of Yokai brought with them; it was simple tranquility, a rejection of the chaos and conflict of the outside world.

And then _she _was rising with a languid yawn from the petally pink bed that she'd draped herself decadently across, every motion effortlessly sensual in a way that no magic could imitate.

Shimmering amber eyes, framed by soft golden hair tucked, blinked sleepily with a flutter of long lashes, before settling into a droopy, heavy-lidded gaze that still managed to overflow with warmth and welcome.

… Speaking of overflowing, both Takashi and Saeko thought it, and neither felt guilty nor would have blamed the other for thinking so.

Because they bounced as the woman stretched, not in a ridiculous or absurd way despite how huge they were, but with a healthy jiggle that naturally and unapologetically drew the gaze of anyone with working eyes.

The woman gave a low, tinkling giggle, not minding in the least that they'd been blatantly staring at her breasts, and the young lovers flushed like naughty children as the direction of their gazes became decent once more.

She rose into a sitting position, daintily crossing one long leg over the other, their shapely lengths sheathed in form-fitting silk of rich purple, but her delicate feet left bare.

A tiny dress of wispy, almost translucent pink hugged her curvy form, subtly revealing the scant inches of creamy thigh they covered, and leaving a wide, appealing center strip of her trim stomach bare. It ended at her chest in a way that could only be magic; intricate silken flowers of pink and green cupped her breasts in a way that whimsically teased at further exposure without seeming wanton or shameless.

Hanging from the flowery bodice was a drape of sheer, diaphanous pink, one that framed her wide hips and pooled around her seated body, almost as if a fine pink mist had been woven into cloth.

Despite her sensual air, there was something regal and composed about the otherworldly beauty; an undeniable _something _that weighed down upon their legs; a subtle, but unforced desire to bend a knee and pay proper respect, just as the forest itself seemed to bend and bow in willing fealty.

It was undeniable that she wasn't human, but neither of them could make out more than that until the woman gave another pleasant, effortlessly graceful stretch of her supple form, and great wings emerged silently from her back to mirror the motion.

Calling them 'butterfly wings' seemed a gross injustice, but that was the best comparison either Takashi or Saeko could make; great voluminous things woven of intermingling rainbows of gossamer color that seemed to capture the gentle morning light.

One of them, maybe both of them managed but one word;

"Titania."

Titania, the Fairy Queens.

Mistresses of the hidden forest kingdoms, lordly, lovely stewards and guardians of the Fairy race.

At the single word, the Titania gave another tinkling, bewitching little giggle and winked, as if deigning to share some secret little amusement with the young lovers.

* * *

The timeless quality of the hidden garden meant it could have been seconds, could have been hours or even days before one of them managed to recover their voice, and the gently smiling Titania patiently awaited their return to awareness with a welcoming silence.

"Forgive me… Your Majesty? Are w-we-" Saeko's hesitantly polite greeting died in her throat.

Whatever she had said, it had been the wrong thing to say; both her and Takashi felt their hearts plummet in their chest as the regal creatures' smiles curled into a tiny frown.

They watched in tense, chastised silence as the regal creatures' pouty pink lips pursed, her delicate cheekbones swelled, and she turned her gaze away with a huff; even the way she crossed her arms beneath her abundant chest came across as elegant rather than petulant.

And then she shattered her regal air to pieces with a single phrase, even as her words drifted lyrically upon the wind;

"Don't wanna."

…

…

…

""... Huh?"" One, or both of them managed to vocalize.

The Titania gave another, larger huff.

"I said I don't wanna!" The Titania pouted, yes, pouted. "Just because I'm bigger than the other Fairies, they all expect me to make all the boring decisions and do all the hard work!"

… They both wondered what kind of 'bigger' she was referring to as the Titania's bust bounced and jiggled with each huff of breath.

"Errrr… ah… sorry?" Takashi managed to apologize on her behalf, as the bewildered and ill Kunoichi's sense of the right and proper quietly fell apart all around her.

"I forgive you!" The Titania chirped brightly, her long pointed ears fluttering cutely as her earlier displeasure evaporated like mist.

"But, er, that is, I don't wanna be rude or anything, but my… girlfriend is kinda having a rough day, so standing here probably isn't… the best…?" Takashi trailed off with a cringe as the Titania's eyes briefly opened to their fullest extent, before blinking rapidly, as if seeing the two for the first time.

Something in her expression shifted, and the two of them went very, very still.

Saeko was feeling awfully pathetic right now, bundled up like an invalid while making her first appearance in what was, to her delirious mind, the court of a Fairy Queen.

The careful scrutiny of those amber eyes swept over her, before they softened, and a gentle, almost maternal smile spread across her lips, and made their breath catch in their throats for reasons neither could quite explain.

"Someone's had a bit of a stressful day, hasn't she?" The Titania observed with a gentle, honest sort of sympathy. "What you're experiencing is more common amongst our kind than you might think, but it's nothing I can't help ease you through, if you'll allow me?"

It took them a moment to realize that such a regal beauty was earnestly asking for permission to help, but when they did, Takashi had a ready answer.

"Please."

With an understanding smile, the Titania lifted one slender palm beneath her lips and gently blew across it in their direction.

The soft breeze colored with a hint of pink as it wafted across Saeko's huddling, blanket-swaddled form, and the Kunoichi shuddered with a low, sharp gasp.

Takashi's eyes widened in alarm and his shoulders tensed, but Saeko's eyes blinked in slow confusion, before a long, relieved sigh accompanied the draining of tension from her form.

"You can put me down now." Saeko smiled up at him, voice steady for the first time since they'd woken that morning.

After a moment of hesitation, Takashi did just that, easing his lover feet-first to the forest floor, and helping her loosen the blanket so that it was covering rather than constraining before carefully supporting her.

Her bare feet had sunk into the soft loam with barely a sound, but Takashi caught glimpses of long swathes of bare skin and thankfully remembered that the blankets were the only thing Saeko was currently wearing.

Yokai in general might have little to no taboos about nudity (at best), but that didn't mean Takashi was going to strip Saeko in front of a stranger, even a sexy mysterious stranger.

Especially not a sexy mysterious stranger who was kind of, well, strange.

The Titania giggled, her slender bare shoulders and ample chest shaking with mirth.

"I don't feel… well, much of anything really." Saeko puzzled out. "Which is kind of nice right about now, to be honest."

"Mhm, just a simple spell to dull sensations." The Titania confirmed. "Kind of like a sleeping spell, but I've only really put your sense of touch to sleep. Should take off the worst of the feeling, for now."

Saeko, numb though she was, apparently wasn't numb enough not to blush as she put two and two together, a rosy flush coloring her pale cheeks.

"You… ah… figured it out?" Saeko guessed hesitantly.

"Yep, mana overflow is less out of the ordinary than we girls like to pretend." The Titania confided with a sly wink. "Usually it's not this… pronounced, but it's actually what's happening when _everything _feels good after a long night with their hubby, usually after the honeymoon."

The Titania's smile made their breaths hitch once again, there was an honest pride and happy approval contained within that made both of them feel suddenly rather self-conscious.

"I'm not sure if you're aware, but the exchange of mana between a mamono and her husband isn't all that efficient." The blonde began, taking on a lecturing tone. "At least at first; over time, the woman's body becomes more acclimated to her partner's mana, and thus is able to absorb it more efficiently."

The Titania paused then, tilting her head to one side and tapping a long, slender finger against her chin.

"Isn't that kind of weird, actually?" She mused absentmindedly. "The more sex you have, the less sex you need, but the more sex you want."

The Titania pondered that for a moment, before giving a careless shrug.

"Well anyways, the other thing it means is what happened to you, young lady, which is super duper cute and romantic!" She said, happily pointing her finger at Saeko.

The Kunoichi blushed, she wasn't used to compliments from someone as ridiculously beautiful as a Fairy Queen.

… She probably would have fainted if Takashi were to tell her how _well _she stacked up in comparison.

Giggling, the Titania continued with her explanation.

"Given how strongly it's affecting you, it means that means that the two of you are so compatible that you might very well have been made for each other."

Takashi carefully pulled Saeko against him as she went rigid, eyes watery and wide.

"All it is is that your compatibility with your partner's mana is so high that your body wasn't prepared to deal with it. It really is just overstimulation in the best possible way."

And then she smiled one of those soft smiles that made both Takashi and Saeko feel like their breath was catching in their throat, accompanied by an ache in their heart and a stinging at the corner of their eyes.

"Well done, both of you." She whispered.

… And they couldn't say it was a _bad _feeling at all.

"Well done, for finding one another."

… It took a moment for Takashi to make sense of the silvery trails running down Saeko's cheeks, and she herself didn't notice until he rubbed them away with his thumb.

Saeko seemed more confused than anything else, as she realized what was happening, but the way she smiled fondly at Takashi suggested that _sadness _had nothing at all to do with her tears.

Unnoticed by the two young lovers, lost in their own little world, the concerned Titania gave a tiny sigh of relief, before her smile returned as if it had never left.

* * *

… It took some time for Saeko to regain her composure, but the Titania didn't seem to mind.

"... Forgive me." Saeko began after a while, giving a quiet not-quite sniffle from where she sat, with Takashi's arms wrapped comfortingly around her.

"There's nothing to forgive, Miss…" The Titania went still. "Err, don't be mad, but I might have forgotten your names?" She suggested with a guilty smile. "Wait… did I ask them?"

Saeko chuckled at the embarrassed admittance; it was strange, but she felt… light? At peace.

… It wasn't a feeling she was much accustomed to, yet.

"We never did introduce ourselves, did we? I'm Busujima Saeko, a Kunoichi." Saeko offered with a small bow of her head, the blanket rustling against bare skin.

"Oh yeah, my bad." Takashi said, scratching his head. "Komura Takashi, not-quite Hero at your service." He grinned.

Something about the Titania's demeanor encouraged him to be upfront with her, and the way the woman giggled suggested he wasn't wrong to think that way.

"A pleasure to meet you, Saeko, Takashi. I'm…" The Titania stopped, and her lips pursed as she tapped a finger against them.

The look she gave them for a moment brought with it the feeling that they were supposed to be revealing her name, not the other way around.

"Hmm, are we still in Zipangu?" She asked, looking around.

"Uhh… yeah?" Takashi replied, sharing a confused look with Saeko.

"Oh, great, I love Zipangu!" The Titania said with an excited clap of her hands. "Hrmmm… oh! You can call me Shizuka, that was one of my favorite names around here!"

"... 'One of'?" Saeko repeated quietly.

"Yep!" The Titania confirmed cheerfully, as if that explained everything.

"Nice to meet you too then, Shizuka." Takashi said, bravely steering the conversation back on topic. "And thanks for helping out Saeko. We owe you one."

"You're welcome, of course, but we're not quite done yet." Shizuka held up two fingers. "You have two options, it all depends on what you two are comfortable with as a couple."

"Alright then, wait, what was that bit at the end there?" Takashi asked.

"See, the longer way is to just let your mana reduce itself back to normal on it's own." Shizuka explained. "Bed rest, basically."

The Titania pursed her lips in thought.

"In a pretty forest like this, I can keep a little spell like the one I cast going for… well pretty much as long as I want, as long as I don't have to work too hard at anything else." She admitted causally.

It was hard to tell at first, but as if her words broke a different kind of spell; for the first time the two got an inkling of how powerful she really was.

A Titania was classified by the Order as a 'Queen-class Monster', categorized by not just their role, but their ability.

… Admittedly, Takashi was hard pressed to imagine the ditzy blonde as a 'dangerous' monster, but that didn't change the fact that she probably had enough mana to rival a Dragon, and could likely draw on the entire forest if she wanted to.

"Well, it'll only take a few days to do it that way." The Titania continued, just as innocently friendly as ever- which was why things like threat levels didn't worry Takashi in the least.

"But I don't mind if you stay here; I mean, I kinda guided you here cuz you seemed like you were having trouble so it would be weird if I wasn't okay with having you here?"

Saeko chuckled.

"The other way is the fun way!" Shizuka confidently declared. "You just have to have sex with someone who can take mana instead of giving it!"

"... Huh?"

"Yep, yep! The fastest way to get rid of extra mana is to have sex with another monster." Shizuka confirmed cheerily. "But if you did that, Takashi might get lonely- unless he was _really_ enjoying the show- but that's okay, because I can make the threesome work!"

"W-wait, are you saying what I think you're saying?" The flustered Saeko managed to ask, as Takashi gulped, loudly.

"Uh huh!" Shizuka nodded. "The fast and easy way is for all three of us to have sex!"

… Slowly, Takashi and Saeko turned to each other to find that yes, they were both red in the face, and yes, they were both considering it.

A pair of amber eyes smoldered as the Titania licked her lips with a sultry smile.

* * *

**Is Whimsy the kind of asshole that would leave you on a cliffhanger right before the threesome?**

**You're goddamn right he is.**

**No but seriously, there's more set-up needed and the chapter would have dragged on like crazy.**

**This way will work out better in the end.**

**The chapter was busy as hell, we finally get to see 'some' of what's wrong with Takashi, and both the cast and the infection have made it to the same landmass.**

**Totally not ominous at all.**

**Also; Shizuka, been waiting to introduce her for so long now. Hope you guys like her so far, though I'm sure you'll like her more next chapter where she gets into the sex.**

**If it wasn't clear enough, a 'Queen-class Monster' is basically a boss-fight waiting to happen. Don't expect Shizuka to kick a lot of ass since she's, you know, Shizuka, but this version of her is certainly less helpless than her canon counterpart.**

**And Rei probably doesn't get tentacled. Maybe. Honestly that whole side bit was just a whim, but now it's too late to turn back.**

**PS: anyone figure out why Shizuka being kind in a specific way triggers a reaction from both our protagonists? Be prepared to get hit in the feels if you do. Shizuka is kind of soothing to be around in general, so I hope it shows.**


	9. The Good the Bad and the Lovely

**Took me a little longer than intended to get this chapter out, but there's a lot of sexy stuff going on so I'm sure you'll have fun.**

* * *

After the Titania had suggested that the best way to alleviate the symptoms of Saeko's mana overload was a _threesome _between her and them, neither Takashi nor Saeko had really had the presence of mind to actually answer.

With a knowing smile and a playful little giggle, Shizuka had promptly left the flustered young couple alone in her glade, cheerfully declaring that she was going for a walk while they talked it over.

Takashi and Saeko were dimly aware that the fairy had also made certain to gently reassure them that there was no pressure involved, and that she would honor their decision, no matter what it was.

… They had hit a snag in the discussion almost immediately, though; discussions required coherent sentences.

Eye-contact helped too.

After an embarrassingly long amount of time spent fidgeting side by side from where they sat, it was Saeko that recovered first, having focused on getting dressed now that she could handle the friction of fabric sliding across her skin.

"I think we should go through with it."

Takashi shook his head lightly as if clearing it, trying to guess if he'd heard her right.

"By 'it', do you mean…?"

"The threesome?" Saeko guessed, a hint of pink on her cheeks, partially shielded by her bangs as she half-turned his way."Then yes, that's exactly what I mean."

Okay, so he was never ever going to forget the mental image of Saeko and Shizuka naked hugging.

"I mean, you want to, don't you?" Saeko asked, in a tone that didn't really make it sound like a question at all.

"That is…" Yes, totally, but- "only if you want to." Takashi realized that it was kind of cowardly to answer that way, and so he pushed on before Saeko could speak up. "I mean yeah, the threesome sounds hot, and yeah, _Shizuka's _hot, but it's not worth it if you don't want to do it as well."

He couldn't deny the relief as Saeko's thoughtful expression gave way to a small, subtle smile.

"And I'm the same." She admitted. "I'd never really considered the idea of us involving another woman, but if I was asked to pick one she'd probably be it. If you're happy with the idea then so am I, otherwise it's worthless."

Takashi went to reply, but caught himself as the words sunk in.

It _sounded _like they had the same idea, but something wasn't quite right about the way Saeko said it.

"... Okay, I can't tell if you like the idea or if you just like the idea because I do." He admitted after a moment.

Saeko blinked in surprise, before her fist shot up to her lips in a belated attempt to muffle her soft, delighted laughter.

"Ufufu~ listen Takashi, while I really do appreciate how you treat me like a woman first, it might be a good time to remind you that I'm not a _human _woman." Saeko chuckled. " Enjoying something solely because it makes you happy just makes perfect sense to me, and I promise that I'm not forcing myself, or just saying what I think you want to hear."

"That's all well and good, but if you _do _want something, then don't hold back, alright?" Takashi insisted.

Saeko's first response was to close the distance with a quick peck on the lips.

Her second response was to retreat just enough that Takashi could still taste her breath on his lips, the familiar scent of-

"Then, I want this." Saeko's heavy-lidded gaze captured his own, even as something tugged at the back of his mind. "I want to do this, _with _you."

Takashi gave a slow nod, pleased that Saeko was being honest, but…

"It changed." He said suddenly.

Saeko blinked back at him, bemused. "What changed?"

Any further questions halted (along with her heartbeat) as her curious lover gathered up one of the long bangs framing her face, and brought it up to his own.

"Your scent it's… different."

"Different how?" She hoped it was a good thing… her pride would take a lethal blow if Takashi thought she smelled bad.

"Flowers and steel." Takashi murmured as he pulled away, and her heart immediately settled as she caught the subtle tinge of fascination in his tone. "It's like…" He fumbled for the meaning- "you know the scent of freshly cleaned steel? It's kind of like you were using something floral-scented… no, it's like you were using flower petals to clean a sword blade."

… Blood. It had been blood, not steel once. A subtle difference, but a telling one.

Saeko was well aware that other Yokai had often caught the scent of blood on her, as if her past crime had infused her very essence.

… But the scent had changed?

No, she was the one who had-

"Hey, Saeko, flower's have their own language, right? I mean, different flowers mean different things, and that seems like something you'd know."

"... Yes?"

"So what's that flower over there mean?"

Following his extended finger, Saeko's gaze fell upon a low-hanging branch adorned with pale pink, almost white flowers with large, but delicate petals.

"The Ume." Saeko explained. "Loyalty and elegance."

"Huh, so it _was_ basically made for you." Takashi nodded firmly. "But that's not the only flower here who reminds me of you… the other one is..."

Honestly touched by the simple certainty in his tone, Saeko watched him fondly as Takashi's eyes roved the many colors of the grove.

"That one, right there." Takashi pointed.

Saeko's gaze followed his pointing finger once more to its destination.

She then began to blush.

Furiously.

… Takashi couldn't help but notice that it made the color of her cheeks almost match the color of the flowers.

The flowers Saeko was staring at so fixedly this time were a rich red in color, large, but made up of layer after layer of small, delicate petals radiating outwards from the soft yellow at their heart.

"Oh my, someone's quite the charmer~" Came a pleasant voice from the treeline, as Shizuka drifted back into the glade, one hand to her cheek as she smiled delightedly.

"Sorry if I'm intruding, but I sensed the presence of something adorable and just couldn't help myself."

Takashi turned his head back to Saeko, and nodded once after confirming that Shizuka's words made perfect sense.

"That's a camellia blossom, Takashi." Shizuka continued on happily, seeing as Saeko was currently indisposed. "In the language of flowers-" which the young Kunoichi _clearly _was aware of, she had noticed- "they mean many things; perfection, desire… but specifically, the red camellia is used to convey deep love and affection."

"... Can you really smell those flowers, among all the others?" Saeko suddenly whispered, without looking his way. The Ume that carried the sweet scent of honey was no surprise… she knew how sharp Takashi's senses could be, and his intuition never failed to impress, but as for the other...

"Yeah, why?"

"There are exceptions, but most don't know the camellia for its fragrance." She quietly explained, a strange, wistful smile on her lips.

"Their loss."

Saeko jolted, as if struck by lightning, and whipped her head to face him.

"Er… Saeko? Did I say something strange?"

No, he decided, he must have said right, if the way he was suddenly _tasting _Saeko was any indication.

Eventually, Saeko's efforts to make her appreciation clear forced the last of the air from their lungs, and Saeko broke the kiss with a thoughtful hum.

As if to say 'well, better safe than sorry', Saeko shrugged her shoulders and went right back in for another kiss as Shizuka, who was making a token effort to avert her eyes, giggled in the background.

* * *

Still busy being the best kind of breathless, Takashi could only nod when a panting Saeko smiled and asked "well, shall we?"

Inhaling slowly to get her breathing under control, Saeko turned and called softly over her shoulder."Shizuka? We'd like to take you up on the offer."

The sensual gleam in the fairy's eyes told them both that she already knew what Saeko was getting at, but nonetheless, she replied calmly with "and which offer is that?"

Saeko met her sexy smirk with one of her own, and purred;

"The fun one."

* * *

Across the grass was spread a large blanket of woven cotton big enough for six people that a nearby tree had been holding onto for Shizuka.

… How casually nature moved to her whims would take some getting used to.

They were seated together all facing each other; despite what they were intending to do, only footwear had been discarded to avoid getting the blanket dirty.

"So, first off, have either of you done anything with multiple partners?" Shizuka asked.

Both Takashi and Saeko shook their heads somewhat tentatively, and the Titania smiled happily.

"Oh, so I'm your first then, how exciting!" She chirped, clasping her hands together excitedly. "Well then, the biggest thing to keep in mind is…"

…

…

"... Is?" Saeko prompted.

"Relax!" Shizuka flung her arms up, giggling when the outburst made them both jump. "It's supposed to be _fun_, silly! Enjoy yourselves!"

Her entire demeanor shifted without warning, bubbly enthusiasm giving way to gentle, welcoming calm.

"I'm a stranger to you both." Shizuka began, her voice soft but insistent. "It's going to be a little awkward at first, but if it ever becomes _uncomfortable_, we can stop at any time, for any reason. In fact, you don't even need to give a reason. If someone wants to stop, we stop. Practical uses or not, there's no meaning to any of it unless you walk away happy. So please, don't force yourselves."

Saeko and Takashi shot each other brief glances, both a bit taken aback and bewildered, but…

In a good way.

They'd both picked up on it, that Shizuka wasn't just trying to be considerate; she was genuinely prioritizing their feelings in the matter.

"... Yeah, okay… thanks." Takashi replied belatedly, Saeko just offering a short, tense little nod.

Shizuka smiled back, the hint of tension in her shoulders unnoticed until it was already gone.

"Great!" Her long ears fluttered up and down energetically as the Titania's expression transitioned from 'smiling' to 'beaming' in a heartbeat. "Okay, so how we're gonna do this is pretty simple; I'm gonna link our senses a little."

… That was simple?

"Link how?" Saeko asked.

"Sex without pleasure is pretty awful, and right now, you're not gonna feel much of anything Saeko. Well, at least the _physical _enjoyment is gonna be kind of hard with the spell I put on you, so that's gotta go." Shizuka explained. "But that on its own just puts us back to square one, so instead, I'll divide the sensation between us; we'll all get to feel really, _really _good, but no one has to worry about feeling _too _good."

"Oh, that makes sense." Saeko replied.

The part Shizuka wasn't telling them was that she wasn't really planning to divide things _evenly_; the poor Kunoichi had the worst case of mana overload she had ever seen, and with no way to know what they could and couldn't handle, Shizuka didn't want to run the risk of either of them being overwhelmed by an experience that should be fun and special and super cute and sexy.

It wasn't arrogance or anything like that, the assumption that she had an overwhelming advantage in sexual experience; they were both young, early twenties at best, and in comparison, it wasn't uncommon for older mamono to have literally had years worth of sex.

Not that she was old, mamono couldn't be considered old until their age hit the triple digits, and she'd stopped counting _way _before then!

Oh this was going to be so much fun, they were so cute, this was the best day ever!

… Shizuka was somewhat less conscious of the fact that her sexual experience was rivalled by the amount of times she'd had the 'best day ever'...

Even if she _was _aware of how often those two things were one and the same.

* * *

It was subtle and unobtrusive; like a hint of amber out of the corner of his eye, the faint but nostalgic scent of a wildflowers on the wind, as if from some unseen but quietly beckoning forest garden, rather than the one surrounding them on all sides.

If Takashi had to define the feeling of Shizuka's magic in one word, it would be 'soothing', even as it brought in a feeling of eagerness in its wake as the spell hit, his senses sharpening, his blood quickening and-

The heat reached low and carried pleasure with it, and Saeko must have felt it just as much if the blissful moan that spilled from her glossy lips was any indication.

Shizuka gave a long, pleased hum and a captivating shudder; smiling at the two of them in a way that made it feel like they were all sharing some naughty little secret.

"The next spell I need to cast is Takashi-only." Shizuka told them once the heat of arousal settled back to a low simmer. "It's a sort of dampening spell, if that makes sense? It'll make him less efficient at releasing mana, which means he can still come inside Saeko without causing any setbacks. Only lasts a few hours, but this way you don't have to hold yourself back."

"So this is the part that lets Takashi get freely involved?" Saeko guessed with a smirk.

"Yep, it's threesome approved!" Shizuka cheered back, clenching her fist in mock seriousness. "Nothing to worry about but being sexy and making each other feel good~!"

"Hehe, yeah, I'm not good with complicated things anyways." Takashi grinned. "Fire away, Shizuka."

Shizuka blew him a kiss that dyed the air between them amber, and Takashi felt another subtle but deep sort of brushing sensation; like the wind was drifting gently through him rather than around him.

"... Huh, I don't feel any different." He said after a moment.

"You shouldn't." Shizuka said. "And it probably won't feel any different for Saeko either as long as she's turned on."

"So nothing to worry about?" Saeko quipped.

"Exactly!" Shizuka laughed. "Now the other thing we need is… less clothes!"

"I'm not used to being overdressed." Takashi admitted with a grin.

…

…

"And that sounded kinkier than I meant it to be."

"Ufufu, well speaking of kinky, why don't you two help me out of my dress?" Shizuka offered, rising to her feet and spreading her arms open invitingly. "I'm sure you're both plenty acquainted with each other's bodies, but this is a good way to start getting acquainted with mine."

Takashi and Saeko shared a ready nod; seemed as good a way to start as any, and neither felt ashamed to admit that they'd been looking forward to seeing the lovely fairy naked.

Speaking of shame, neither of them felt any at wanting to free her boobs first, but there was no need to hurry. Standing and moving to either side of the eagerly waiting blonde, Takashi and Saeko gently took an arm each, starting just below the shoulder and sliding off her detached sleeves inch by inch, exposing her slim arms.

They then did the same with her leggings; kneeling to reveal her miles of smooth, shapely leg, her thighs round but firm, her calves a delicate curve.

Meeting each other's eyes, they smiled and shared a nod as they rose once more, and Takashi reached up to the back of the thin, high collar around her neck; while Shizuka's dress was almost entirely backless, it was more of a halter-top; the way it connected from the collar was just easily missable with how much cleavage the blonde had on display.

Takashi and Saeko shared a jerky, but eager nod; strangely self-conscious now that they were at this moment, and realizing at last that that was why Shizuka had offered to get naked first.

The collar was fastened at the back with a subtle clip, Takashi was about to unfasten it when inspiration struck, and Saeko stopped him with a quick word.

Shizuka and Takashi both gave her a curious look, and the smirking Saeko reached towards Shizuka's cleavage, lightly hooking a finger into the inner edge of the green fabric flower that cupped the fairy's gigantic tits.

As Takashi met her eyes, his own widened and the smirk was quickly returned; he hooked the flower on his side, and both tugged the fabric lightly towards themselves.

The result was just as spectacular as they'd hoped; Shizuka's breasts popped free with an almost enthusiastic bounce of creamy flesh, shoving the flower cups aside as they spilled out.

Shizuka gave a cheerful little exclamation as her tits jiggled and swayed briefly; despite their size her breasts were firm and didn't sag in the least, taking the typically gravity-defying bust of a monster girl to an enticing extreme.

Takashi was having a harder time tearing his eyes away, so Saeko slipped her hand to the back of Shizuka's neck and unfastened her collar, Takashi snapping back into focus as the entire front of Shizuka's dress folded down, the see through drape of pink that hung from the flower cups pooling around her ankles.

This left only the low-rise waistband of Shizuka's skirt clinging to the full curve of her hip; and Takashi and Saeko slowly slid it off of her as the Titania wiggled a bit to assist.

Despite her dress being tight, tiny and translucent, neither of them had been able to tell if Shizuka had been wearing panties, though neither of them had really tried to look, either.

It turned out she was; tiny strapless thong that barely covered anything at all, colored a pink that was only slightly darker than her dress. Strapless panties were, unsurprisingly, a monster invention; some kept in place by a Slime-based adhesive, but others kept in place solely by magic.

After all, monster clothing generally wasn't designed with modesty in mind, it was designed to generate curiosity towards what it didn't cover. Even the Yokai of Zipangu, many of whom had lived among humans for countless generations weren't any different, just more subtle about it.

Saeko pressed against Shizuka from the side, wrapping one arm gently around her back as the other laid its palm against Shizuka's trim tummy and slid its way down, lustful blue eyes gazing deeply into Takashi's as she slowly finished exposing Shizuka to the open air and stepped away.

Fair-skinned and overflowing with ripe feminine vitality, abundantly curved in all the best places yet slender and supple in the rest; Shizuka stood proudly in the stunned silence that followed. Her enchanting gossamer wings, despite their playful riot of ever-shifting color, served only to frame and highlight her beautiful body, until they receded, vanishing entirely with a whisper of flower-scented wind.

Rare was the monster that didn't appreciate her naked body capturing the gaze of others, especially if she found those others attractive themselves.

Which was why she wasn't going to just let them stare for _too _long, flattering and adorable as it was, they were cute and she was horny, so she wanted to see them naked too!

Shizuka broke the spell with a giggle, a wicked light in her eyes and a playful smirk on her lips as she purred "my turn~"

Moving so gracefully it seemed her feet barely touched the ground, Shizuka slipped to Saeko's side, pressing against her in much the same manner as the beautiful Kunoichi had done to her.

The difference was that she was completely naked and pressing in far more tightly, as if trying to mold their lovely forms together. Both women shivered pleasantly as their breasts pushed together, only the thin fabric of Saeko's yukata between them, and the hefty presence of Shizuka's bosom against Saeko's own substantial assets meant that the loose garment was already losing its function.

Shizuka's slim hand dipped easily into the folds of the garment and began gliding its way down Saeko's toned midriff, gently forcing the yukata open further as she went. Out of the corner of her eye, Shizuka noted happily that Takashi's eyes had locked onto the slowly revealed form of the pretty young thing in her arms, and that Saeko's body was heating up from both their attention.

Also that Saeko had nice abs, toned and strong without being too blatant or losing that feminine smoothness.

Rika was the reason that Shizuka liked a bit of muscle on a girl, and Saeko seemed to check off more boxes every time she learned something new about her.

Saeko's eyes were firmly on Takashi, which made the next bit all the more fun; when Shizuka took a break from mapping out Saeko's tummy with her fingers, the Kunoichi knew _exactly _where Takashi's eyes went when her sash came undone and her robe popped open.

Shizuka could freely admit that she was just as entranced as Takashi when the elegant body in her arms was exposed, but she still managed to find her voice through the ease of long practice.

"Neh, Takashi…" She muttered. "Is it just me, or does Saeko keep getting prettier every time you look at her?"

Takashi's smiling eyes met hers as he fired back without missing a beat. "I'd let you know if I ever got used to it, but I'm pretty sure keeping you hanging that long would count as bullying."

The giggling Titania didn't need to look to know that the Kunoichi was blushing, she could practically _fee_l it against her skin.

"You two are so adorable together."

Super important information reaffirmed, Shizuka went back to peeling Saeko out of her yukata. As it was, only their boobs were touching directly, and she was definitely looking forward to some more skin-to skin.

She could feel how turned on Saeko was getting, Takashi was definitely enjoying the show, and their nervousness had melted away without either noticing, so so far, so good.

Letting Saeko's yukata flutter down to the blanket, the only thing covering any of Saeko were Shizuka's arms and breasts, her only clothing left the pure white thong hugging her hips.

"Oh! What's this?" Shizuka asked in pleasant surprise as something thin draped itself around her waist.

Saeko didn't know either, it seemed, as her and Takashi's eyes went in the same direction- seemingly of its own accord, Saeko's slim, flexible tail was hugging Shizuka around the waist, playfully wriggling up and down.

Laughing delightedly, Shizuka stroked the thin black tail, noting from Saeko's quivers that the limb was the fun kind of sensitive.

Gently prying herself free of Saeko's arms- she wondered if the Kunoichi even realized she'd been hugging her back- Shizuka slipped around behind the Kunoichi and hugged her again.

This time, tenderly but firmly pinning Saeko's arms to her sides.

Saeko shuddered as Shizuka's moan drifted warm air against her ear- Shizuka's soft tits were molding into the muscles of her back as if mapping out every inch, and it felt heavenly for both of them.

"Oh no Takashi, our hands are all tied up." Shizuka pouted in monotone, amber eyes glimmering with joy. "Won't you be a gentleman and help Saeko finish getting undressed?"

"Who knew being a gentleman could be this much fun?" Takashi grinned as he slowly made his way forward.

Saeko smiled enticingly at him as Takashi leaned into her, but she couldn't help but giggle as he rubbed the tips of their noses together with a goofy grin.

"I think you and I might have different ideas of playing." Saeko said between giggles.

"You sure about that?" Takashi shifted more closely against her, and her attention was claimed rather completely by something warm and stiff pressing low against her stomach.

For a moment, Saeko closed her eyes, revelling in the feeling of being pinned between two warm and attractive bodies.

Then the sensation was gone as both Takashi and Shizuka stepped away from her at the same time.

"Oh!" Saeko softly exclaimed at the sudden, but not unpleasant chill of sudden exposure; apparently Takashi had undone the strings of her panties without her noticing, and only the soft pressure of Takashi and Shizuka pressed against her had kept her last bit of clothing in place.

Saeko hooked the tiny piece of white with her foot and daintily kicked it aside, before placing one hand on her hip and twisting back to smirk playfully at Shizuka.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Shizuka winked, and they both turned to the only person still dressed.

In an erotic but slightly worrying moment of synchronization, both Yokai turned hungry gazes upon Takashi and licked their lips.

* * *

"... I feel like me getting undressed involved a lot more groping." Takashi muttered good naturedly as he sat down, now just as naked as the two girls but looking a bit more bedraggled.

"You're welcome." Saeko replied with a cheeky smile.

"My my, I certainly didn't expect to have this much fun already, but I'm certainly not complaining~" Shizuka said, breasts bouncing as she chuckled.

Takashi and Saeko laughed with her, and then…

Hesitated, unsure of where to proceed from there.

It occurred to them both, just then, that up until that point they hadn't done a lot of _planned_ sex, it just kind of happened when the mood struck.

Luckily, Shizuka didn't have the same sort of hang-ups.

Fluttering her eyelashes at Takashi before getting on all fours, she crawled slowly over to Saeko and kneeled over one of her shapely thighs, placing a knee close to, but not quite touching, the warm space between the Kunoichi's legs.

With the tips of her fingers, Shizuka gently tilted Saeko's head up towards her and whispered "now, make sure you keep one eye on your man, k?"

Without giving the stiffly seated Saeko a chance to answer, Shizuka leaned in and kissed her full on the lips.

Draping her arms around Saeko's shoulders as she deepened the kiss, Shizuka shivered delightedly as the Kunoichi's parted lips offering easy access for an exploring tongue.

Saeko moaned as she melted into Shizuka's warm, pillowy soft embrace, and again as she caught Takashi's fascinated gaze out of the corner of her eye.

Letting her gaze dip briefly downwards to confirm that yes, Takashi was enjoying this just as much as she was, Saeko lifted her own arms, pulling Shizuka's curvy body against herself as she began returning the kiss in earnest.

As instructed, she kept one eye on Takashi, and his hot gaze upon her only made it all the sweeter.

And if they were enjoying themselves this much already… how much better would it be when they were in each other's arms once more?

With the kiss slowly came a sense of what Saeko wouldn't quite call weakness, but more like a sense of relief, an unwinding of tension in the body that she wasn't aware of until it was gone.

The feeling remained as Shizuka broke the kiss, teasingly tracing Saeko's lips with her tongue as she withdrew, and only when she wasn't preoccupied with Shizuka's lips could she make sense of it.

"... Which one of us is the Succubus again?" She managed to gasp.

"Ufufu, Succubus aren't the only one who can drink mana with a kiss~" Shizuka's breathy whisper returned. "The tongue involved was just for fun, though, and speaking of fun…"

Saeko had only taken her eyes off of him for a second, and suddenly Takashi was gone, and-

The note of surprise from Saeko's lips turned into a long, sensual sigh as she found her butt lifted off the mat and plopped back down in Takashi's lap.

… And she'd thought she was keenly aware of Takashi's erection before, well, now she could feel its length pressed up between her ass cheeks.

Saeko playfully flexed her butt and squeezed his shaft, shuddering blissfully with Takashi as she felt his body jerk against her, and felt the rush of air as he inhaled sharply.

She wasn't prepared for what happened next, but just like every other surprise that had happened in Shizuka's glade, being caught off-guard was anything but unpleasant.

"You said it would work out, didn't you?"

"Mhm, no need to hold back, Takashi~" Shizuka crooned encouragingly.

Strong hands took hold of where her legs met her butt and lifted her, bringing Takashi's erection sliding down her body in a warm trail as Saeko rose.

Briefly, Saeko caught sight of a playfully erotic grin on Shizuka's lips, and then she was seeing nothing but white as Takashi filled her in one long, smooth thrust.

Shizuka's cheeks dimpled as a fond smile spread across her face, wondering if the young couple knew how well their blissful, contented expressions matched one another.

She doubted there was anyone in the world who could doubt their love after seeing them smile like that.

Her happy little daze was broken by the sight of sexy jiggling; Saeko had her eyes closed and her back arched against Takashi, but Takashi was grinning at Shizuka and offering her one of Saeko's boobs, the cherry pink tip shaking to and fro temptingly.

"Don't mind if I do~" Getting onto her knees, Shizuka leaned forward and cupped Saeko's tit on the palm of her hand.

Hazy blue eyes opened to meet a pair of twinkling amber, and Shizuka chose that moment to close her lips around the tip of Saeko's lightly heaving breast.

Takashi groaned into her shoulder as Saeko's body bucked and her walls clenched around his length, her impassioned cry rippling through their joined bodies. They all felt it at the same time, a little spark of ecstasy coursing through their partially shared senses.

For Saeko, one of the newly discovered joys of being a Succubus was that each and every time Takashi penetrated her was a unique pleasure…

This was the first time she'd come from insertion though, she could tell Takashi was the same; a Succubus could always tell when her man had found release inside of her, no matter how wet her folds or foggy her senses.

Lovely man though he was, Takashi was still just as raring to go as ever.

Shizuka, meanwhile, was quietly, but pleasantly shocked; it wasn't surprising that the young lovers hadn't been quite prepared for the sexual feedback, but she hadn't anticipated that _she _wouldn't be, either.

Her lips and tongue still attending Saeko's perky tits more by instinct than intent, Shizuka subtly dipped fingers between her own legs, and moaned against silky skin as even that cautious exploration sent shivers up her spine.

While the Titania was getting her fingers wet, Saeko was straddling Takashi's lap and sitting up on her toes. Slowly she began to rock her hips, doing her best to keep up a slow rhythm despite the incredibly sexy distraction that was sucking on her tits.

It wouldn't do for her to be the only one not putting in any work, after all.

A short, husky cry filled the air- it took her a moment to process that it was her own- when Takashi began to suck on the curve of her neck, and her tail extended itself of its own accord, with just enough length to loop around the three of them in a wiggly half-circle, draping itself slightly over the curve of Shizuka's butt, and-

She felt rather than heard Shizuka's little gasp as the slender prehensile limb dipped around to the fairy's front and down between her legs.

There was only so much she could do with boobs blocking her vision, but the way Shizuka's lips were squirming and gasping against her breasts suggested the effort was appreciated.

Well, just about anything felt good to a monster that was _that _wet.

She was no different, which was why when her sneaky lovely Takashi planted his hands on the ground and thrust up as she thrust down, her response was to throw back her head with a shameless, wanton scream.

Shuddering as her blurry gaze turned up towards the empty sky, Saeko tensed her body as a line of drool trailed down from the corner of her slack mouth.

Forcing her legs to move, Saeko pushed herself as far up Takashi's length as she could manage, keenly aware of how it was twitching with her every inch of the way. As she did that, she gently cupped Shizuka's cheeks and lifted the blonde's gaze to meet her own. Smiling happily at the intoxicated joy mirrored back at her, Saeko slammed her hips down, and mashed their lips together as everything went white.

The only voice left unmuffled, Takashi's carnal howl drowned out the other two as white hot bliss rampaged across shared senses, melting away everything but the ecstasy it left in its wake.

* * *

… They'd ended up in an awkward, sweaty pile at some point, but at least Shizuka didn't seem particularly inconvenienced by being on the bottom of said pile.

Saeko herself was rather liking being in the center of said pile, and wouldn't mind staying that way for a while.

But as Takashi lifted himself off her back and met her gaze as she twisted to look up on him, she discovered happily that yes, they did have the same idea, and yes, they both thought it would be sexy.

After all, while he wasn't inside her anymore, part of Takashi was still very much ready to go, if the warmth resting once more against her butt was anything to go by.

They shared a nod, and Saeko turned her head back down to Shizuka as it did.

Shizuka smiled brightly up at her, and Saeko smiled back, only to giggle as Shizuka's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed.

"O-oh! You don't have to-!" Her words were cut short as Takashi shifted a little, leaving the blushing fairy to squirm sensually beneath her.

"Yeah okay, but do you want me to?" Takashi asked, leaning over Saeko to look down at the prone Shizuka.

Amber eyes darted back and forth between Takashi and Saeko's eyes for a moment, before Shizuka slowly averted her gaze entirely, covering her mouth with one hand.

Both of them felt their hearts leap a little as the Titania gave a surprisingly shy, and unsurprisingly cute little nod.

Saeko planted a quick kiss on Shizuka's cheeks before slipping off of her, and Takashi pushed his hips forward.

Shizuka arched her back with a low, luxurious moan as the 'thing' that had been poking her quie suddenly began poking its way _inside _of her, Takashi taking a firm grip of her wide hips as he entered her.

Saeko wasn't really sure how she should get involved until her eyes were drawn to Shizuka's soft lips, and then to her large and wildly bouncing breasts.

Shizuka was too focused on Takashi thrusting into her to notice the wicked smirk that curled the Kunoichi's lips.

She definitely noticed, however, when Saeko's body loomed over her, blocking the sunlight.

Looking down over her shoulder, Saeko took note of the happy surprise in Shizuka's face before it disappeared from view entirely. Being mindful of Shizuka's ears, longer and more tapered compared to her own, Saeko straddled the blonde's head and then carefully seated herself on it, facing Takashi. She squirmed a bit as she felt Shizuka's giggles inside of her, and then squirmed even more as Shizuka's tongue slipped between her petals and began exploring.

Shifting her weight to avoid putting pressure on Shizuka, Saeko felt another moan vibrate against her folds as she reached down with both hands and began to play with Shizuka's boobs, nimble fingers mapping them out in feather-light touches.

Takashi, who had stopped thrusting to let Saeko get into position, gave her a wink and began moving his hips once more.

Saeko winked back and began moving her hips as well, lightly grinding herself against Shizuka's face.

That seemed to garner a positive response, if the renewed vigor of the thrusting tongue was anything to go by.

Then Shizuka giggled and reached up to grip her thighs, and Saeko grit her teeth as the Titania's hot tongue stopped 'exploring' and started 'finding', teasing all her weak points one by one as if she'd mapped them out perfectly.

In response, she began to lightly roll the pink buds of Shizuka's breast between her fingers, lightly tugging on them now and again.

Takashi meanwhile, had finished doing some exploring of his own, and smirked as he thrust into Shizuka at just the right angle. Her thighs clenched around his waist, and Saeko threw her head back in surprise as Shizuka's muffled scream vibrated through her entire body.

With the Titania caught thoroughly off-guard by Takashi teasing her slick folds, Saeko moved onto the next bit of inspiration that had struck her.

Extending the most flexible and dextrous part of her body to its fullest length, Saeko began to coil her slim prehensile tail around Shizuka's breast in a figure eight pattern, using it like an improvised bondage rope.

But damn those things were huge! Though it was rare she actually did it, her tail at full length was taller than she was, and she could barely _see _where she'd wrapped it, due to how much cleavage was in the way!

… Come to think of it, hadn't Mai-Sensei told her something about bondage being the best use for a Kunoichi's tail?

Her thoughts were melted into mush by Shizuka's tongue getting back to work, and Takashi leaning in towards her.

She was happy to discover that Takashi was closer than she'd initially realized, and made sure to show that appreciation as they shared a sloppy kiss over Shizuka's writhing, jiggling body.

Shizuka moaned in erotic delight as a bit of hot drool dripped down onto her stomach, and the tail coiled around her boobs- so creative!- began to rhythmically squeeze as if it was trying to milk her like a Holistaur.

M-maybe the extra sensitivity was- no, it was a great idea- Saeko's fingers got back to work, and suddenly, it took everything she had to keep eating out the lovely young Kunoichiiiii!?

Draping Shizuka's long legs over his shoulders, Takashi began thrusting harder, going deeper with every thrust at the new angle.

Shizuka's dripping folds were clenching and caressing- it felt like every inch of his dick was being squeezed and massaged at the same time.

Try as he might, it took a lot of effort for him to keep up sexually with a Queen-class monster and a literal Succubus.

But Takashi was a Berserker…

He _always _had more effort.

A low grunt from Takashi was the only warning they received before things spiralled out of control in the best possible way.

Saeko's thighs clamped around Shizuka's head and her fingers sunk deeply into the springy flesh of her massive tits as Shizuka's slurred squeal made her tongue convulse inside of her, and then someone-everyone- was pushed over the edge and the blissful whiteness melted everything away.

* * *

This time, when things other than pleasure started making sense, they disentangled and lay gasping on the now thoroughly soaked blanket, revelling in the shared afterglow that echoed through their minds and reflected back at them.

Shizuka recovered first, sitting up and folding her legs to one side as she stretched her arms above her head, giggling as the bouncing of her boobs drew two pairs of eyes with irresistible pull.

She'd never get tired of being desired.

Speaking of tired, though…

"I think that should be enough for Saeko to get back to normal." She dutifully informed. "I think you'll be just fine if I release the spell."

"Thank you." Saeko smiled at her, before a confused look crossed her face. "But…" she trailed off.

As Shizuka tilted her head in curiosity, Takashi and Saeko shared a look and a chuckle.

"But, does that mean you wanna stop?" Takashi asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Now you're just being silly." Shizuka giggled back.

* * *

Something was happening at the docks, and as… former Heroes, she supposed, it was only natural that she and her friends rushed towards rather than away from the growing chaos.

"It looks like a fight broke out! It's way too big for a dockyard brawl!" Rei reported, hopping up to see over the press of bodies as they forced their way through the crowd. Though Kohta had caught up a little after becoming an Incubus, Rei was still the tallest of the three, so she was the only one who could catch glimpses of what was happening.

Sailors were a rowdy bunch, she wasn't sure if it would be wise to break things up unless it got too out of hand, but if nothing else, her and Rei could make themselves useful if someone got hurt.

A woman with fox ears and three bushy and waving tails- a fox Yokai known as a Youko- pulled a man from the fight just as the trio broke through the confused mass of bodies, and seized their attention rather completely.

A Yokai herself, Saya could tell at a glance that the man in the Youko's arms was her husband, or, if he wasn't yet, soon to be. The man in question was bleeding, and heavily, she needed to-

Kohta threw out his arm and stopped her dead, catching Rei who was ahead of him by the shoulder with the other.

"W-wha!? K-Kohta, what are you…"

Her words died out at Kohta's expression. Wide eyes glued in shock to the scene in front of him.

Slowly, her eyes turned back to the couple crouched there on the ground as the chaos in the background faded away.

… Oh, she knew this feeling; a sort of vertigo that was mental and emotional, rather than physical. Like her logic and her feelings had tripped over each other and were rolling down a hill, all tangled together.

The first time she'd experienced it was when they told her that Takashi was dead.

The second time was when her humanity had been utterly robbed from her.

The third was then, when the man before her tightly hugged the Yokai fretting over him, pulled her close, and bit her throat out with his teeth.

That was the third time Saya experienced the world she thought she knew falling apart around her ears.

As if to mark the occasion, that's when the screaming began.

* * *

**So, anyone else appreciate the last chapter's cliffhanger a bit more than this one, or was it just me?**

**Initially I'd planned for more serious stuff to happen, but we had a good thing going with the lemon, and so I decided not to detract from the mood anymore than this.**

**Expect there to be a lot more difference in tone, over the next few chapter, depending on which group we follow.**

**PS: anyone catch the Soul Eater reference in this chapter?**


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